Antidepressant 'Azafen', instructions for use, side effects

The drug "Azafen" belongs to the group of tricyclic antidepressants. It has a high sedative, anti-aggressive and anxiolytic effect. This drug is widely used for the treatment of mild and moderate depression, such as:

- endogenous;

- asthenodepression;

- exogenous;

- alcoholic;

- anxious;

- states during somatic conditions of a chronic nature.

The active substance of the drug "Azafen" description is called pipofezin. The mechanism of action of the substance is based on the inhibition of neuronal seizure of norepinephrine and serotonin. This leads to an increase in the concentration of pipophezin in the central nervous system and the symptoms of depression stop.

There is one advantage over similar drugs of antidepressant action of the drug "Azafen", the instruction for use calls the absence of its cardiotoxic effects. There is also a positive effect of the drug "Azafen" on affective disorders, weakening somatic, mental and vegetative disorders associated with depression. The high effectiveness of the drug "Azafen" instructions for use determines the asthenia that occurs due to somatic complications of the human psyche. During the administration of the drug, the feeling of anxiety and tension disappears in patients. There is a positive dynamics in patients with neurogenic anorexia, sleep is normalized and sleepiness disappears during the day.

The medicine "Azafen", based on its pharmacokinetic properties, has good digestibility, it is well absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract, has a high bioavailability (80%), the maximum concentration in the blood reaches already within 2 hours. In the liver, biotransformation of pipofepine occurs in inactive metabolites, which are excreted mainly by the kidneys. Complete release of the body from the drug occurs after 16 hours.

Treatment of depressions of various genesis is a fundamental indication for the use of the drug "Azafen", the instruction for use specifies these conditions, listing all kinds of depressions, subject to the action of the drug.

There are a number of contraindications for the use of the antidepressant "Azafen", the instruction for use indicates the following conditions that are not compatible with the medication:

- diabetes;

- sharing with MAO inhibitors ;

- myocardial infarction, heart failure, IHD;

- hepatic or renal failure;

- infectious diseases of a serious degree;

- a condition after a serious impairment of cerebral circulation (after a stroke);

- Pregnancy, lactation.

It should beware of the possible occurrence of side effects during the administration of the drug, they are expressed by dizziness and headache, allergic reactions, vomiting and nausea. Unfortunately, there is no information on treatment in case of drug overdose, in such cases it is symptomatic. To the question of contraindications, we should add the problem of "Azafen" and alcohol. These are two absolutely mutually exclusive concepts, during treatment it is necessary to refrain from drinking alcohol and simultaneously taking drugs containing ethanol.

The "Azafen" has no cholinolytic properties, therefore, one should not refuse treatment with a drug for patients with glaucoma. In addition to incompatibility with alcohol, there is a danger of simultaneous use of this drug with anticoagulants, antihistamines and all drugs that depress the central nervous system. It should be noted that the simultaneous administration of "Azafen" with antiepileptic drugs reduces the effectiveness of the latter.

"Azafen" is released strictly according to the prescription, the maximum shelf life is 5 years, it should be stored at tmax 25.