Zolopent, 40 mg: instructions for use, composition, analogues

Unfortunately, digestive disorders are not at all rare. Esophagitis, ulcerative lesions of the mucous membranes - a serious and dangerous disease. Of course, it is by no means worthwhile to ignore such ailments. Modern medicine offers a large number of drugs and one of the most effective is the drug Zolopent (40 mg). The instructions for use are quite simple, and the result of treatment is not bad.

Naturally, many patients seek additional information about this medicine before starting therapy. What is included in its composition and how does it affect the body? Are there any contraindications for taking pills? Can there be any complications on the background of therapy? How do patients respond to the drug and is it really that effective? Answers to these questions will be of interest to many readers.

Tablets "Zolopent" (40 mg): photo, description of composition and form of release

This drug is often used in modern medicine. Naturally, patients are interested in questions about how the medicine "Zolopent" looks 40 mg, composition and instructions, rules of application, etc.

As already known, the drug is available in the form of coated tablets, which dissolves in the intestine. In the pharmacy you can buy blisters for 10 or 14 tablets. The main active ingredient of the drug is pantoprazole in the form of sodium sesquihydrate. One tablet contains 40 mg of this substance.

Naturally, other auxiliary components are used in production. The formulation contains anhydrous sodium carbonate, calcium stearate, crospovidone, sodium lauryl sulfate, hydroxypropyl cellulose, as well as titanium dioxide, triethyl citrate, talc and yellow iron oxide.

Main pharmacological properties of the preparation

Pantoprazole is activated in parietal cells under the influence of hydrochloric acid. This substance has very valuable properties, because it inhibits the secretion of hydrochloric acid, blocking proton pumps of specific secretory cells.

It is worth noting that the inhibition process is proportional to the dose of the drug taken, with the first effects appearing after 2 hours after taking the tablets. This drug reduces the acidity of the stomach, while increasing the level of secretion of gastrin. It should be noted that a persistent increase in the amount of this enzyme is observed only with prolonged therapy.

Pharmacokinetics and features of drug absorption

As already mentioned, the tablets are coated with a membrane that dissolves in the intestine. The active component of the drug is rapidly absorbed by the walls of the intestine. The maximum concentration of this substance in the blood is observed after a single dose, after two hours. By the way, constant reception provides a steady increase in the amount of the active component in the human body.

Pantoprazole binds 98% with plasma proteins. The metabolic processes of this substance occur exclusively in the liver cells. Approximately 80% of metabolites are excreted by the kidneys, the rest - along with the calves.

Zolopent 40 mg tablets: indications for use

Of course, indications for therapy are an important issue. So in which cases are patients prescribed Zolopent 40 mg tablets? What helps the drug?

• Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
• Reflux - esophagitis;
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, as well as other diseases that are accompanied by glandular hypersecretion;
• Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in people suffering from ulcerative lesions of the mucosa of the digestive tract.

How to use the medicine correctly? Instruction and general recommendations

Immediately it is worth to say that only a doctor can prescribe a drug Zolopent 40 mg. The instructions for use contain only some general information, the dosage and duration of therapy is determined individually.

To begin with it is necessary to say that the tablet is recommended to be taken one hour before a meal. It can not be crushed or chewed - it is necessary to swallow it completely, washing down with a large glass of water.

• If it is a question of treating reflux esophagitis, that patients are recommended to take one tablet of the drug per day. Only occasionally the dose is increased to 80 mg of the active ingredient. The course of treatment lasts about 4 weeks.
• If it is a peptic ulcer developed against the background of Helicobacter activity, then the daily dose is 2 tablets. The drug is taken in combination with antibiotics, in particular with "Clarithromycin" and "Amoxycycline."
• Therapy for gastric ulcer lasts 4 weeks, during which the patient takes one (less than 2 tablets) per day.
• With ulcerative bowel disease, the dose remains the same, but the treatment lasts no more than two weeks, after which it is recommended to take a break.
• Dosage and duration of treatment for violations of secretory functions, as well as in the syndrome of Zollinger-Ellison, depends on the severity of the disease and the effect of taking tablets.

Special Recommendations

Not in all cases, patients in the above described way take Zolopent 40 mg tablets. The instruction shows that sometimes the therapy has some limitations. In particular, people with serious impairments in the liver need to reduce the daily amount of the drug to 20 mg. At the same time, violations in the work of the kidneys are not an indication for dose adjustment.

Patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome should take this medication for a long time. Such therapy can lead to impaired absorption and metabolism of vitamin B12, which is quite dangerous. This is why, along with taking the drug, patients are prescribed other medicines, especially those that eliminate the vitamin deficiency.

It is also worth noting that long-term therapy (for example, lasts more than a year) affects the structure of bones, increases the risk of fractures.

Are there any contraindications to use?

Of course, patients are interested in the question of whether all the categories of patients can take the drug Zolopent 40 mg. The instruction for use says that there are some restrictions to the therapy, although there are not so many of them.

In particular, the drug is not prescribed to patients with increased sensitivity to any of the constituent components. Also, therapy is not performed if a person has an allergy to any of the substances - benzimidazole derivatives.

In what other cases should you not take Zolopent tablets 40 mg? Contraindications are also a child's age and the period of breastfeeding. Sometimes doctors prescribe this medicine to pregnant women, because during this period, many fair sex suffer from heartburn. Nevertheless, taking the drug is not self-indulgent, especially when it comes to pregnancy.

Possible complications and side effects

It's not a secret for anyone that against the background of taking this or that medicine, some patients often have side effects. Is it possible during the therapy with Zolopent 40 mg? The instruction indicates that complications are possible, although they are observed relatively rarely:

• On the part of the digestive system, symptoms such as dry mouth, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting may appear.
• In some patients there are disorders in the nervous system, in particular, dizziness, headaches, changes in taste;
• Also some mental disorders are possible, for example, depressive states, confusion, sleep problems, disorientation and hallucinations;
• With an increased sensitive immune system, allergies may occur, including anaphylactic shock;
• To the list of side effects include leukopenia, pancytopenia, agranulocytosis and tamocytopenia;
• Some patients complain of general weakness, increased fatigue, drowsiness, peripheral edema;
• On the background of therapy may develop myalgia and arthralgia.

When there are uncharacteristic symptoms, worsening of well-being, it is worthwhile to see a doctor as soon as possible. Sometimes to eliminate side effects you just need to adjust the dose.

Is overdose possible?

What happens if you take too much of Zolopent 40 mg? The instruction says that to date, cases of drug overdose have not been officially registered. Nevertheless, the researchers admit that against the background of taking a large number of tablets, it is possible to develop more pronounced side effects. In such cases, gastric lavage is shown for that, as well as the intake of sorbents. In the presence of complications, it is recommended to seek medical help as soon as possible.

Interaction with other drugs

How can other drugs interact with Zolopent 40 mg tablets. The instruction for use contains the following information:

• Pantoprazole in some cases reduces the effectiveness of drugs, the bioavailability of which depends on the acidity of the gastric juice. As an example, you can put some antifungal drugs, in particular, itraconazole, ketoconazole, etc.
• Also , proton pump inhibitors significantly reduce the digestibility of drugs used in the treatment of immunodeficiency and HIV infection.
• If the patient takes Zolopent and anticoagulants at the same time, the patient's condition should be carefully monitored, since bleeding may occur.

It should be noted that during the studies, there were no deviations in cases when Zolopent tablets were taken along with other antacids, as well as antibacterial drugs. In any case, you must tell the doctor about all the medications that you take.

How much is the medicine?

Naturally, the price of a given drug is an important moment for each patient. It should be understood that it is impossible to specify the exact cost, since it depends on many factors. In particular, the amount will depend on the number of tablets in the package, the manufacturer, the price policy of the pharmacy, etc.

For example, a package of 14 tablets will cost about 180 - 210 rubles. The price of a larger package, consisting of 30 tablets, ranges from 360 to 420 rubles. It should be noted that sometimes for a full course of treatment more than one package is needed. Of course, the price of a medicine is not that low. Nevertheless, some drugs with the same properties are several times more expensive.

Are there any qualitative analogues of the drug?

Unfortunately, for some reason, whether there are contraindications or unsuitable costs, not all patients are suitable for this medicine. So is it possible to replace something with Zolopent 40 mg?

Analogues, of course, exist, and the modern pharmaceutical market offers a huge number of drugs that have about the same effect on the human body. For example, in case of peptic ulcer, patients are often prescribed such drugs as "Barol", "Gasec", "Veloz". To good analogues also include "Zercim", "Diaprazole" and "Lanzap". Also, these tablets can be replaced by other medications, in particular, Nolpaza, Lornsek, Ozol, Panocid and some others.

Reviews of doctors and patients about tablets

After talking with patients who have already completed the course of therapy, you can get a lot of useful information. So what do they say about Zolopent (40 mg)? The reviews are mostly positive. Naturally, a complete cure takes time, but the first result appears after a few minutes after ingestion. For example, tablets quickly eliminate heartburn and bitterness in the mouth, relieve soreness.

Doctors say that with the right approach, the drug really helps to get rid of this or that disease. Moreover, it rarely causes side effects, and there are not too many contraindications. The drawbacks can be attributed only to the relatively high cost of tablets, although some of its analogues will cost a much larger amount. On the other hand, health costs any money. And the drug is easy to find, since it is sold in almost any pharmacy. Over the past few years, the drug has gained popularity among both doctors and patients.