Pills "Fenigidin": instructions for use, reviews

Why is the drug "Fenigidin" intended? Instructions for the use of this medication, its contraindications, analogs and side effects will be described in detail in this article. In addition, you will learn about when this drug is prescribed (the indication), in what dosage it should be taken, what patients and doctors say about it.

Composition and form of the drug

The drug "Fenigidin" can be found in the pharmacy in the form of tablets. They are coated and contain an active ingredient, such as nifedipine. In the sale of a medical product comes in a cardboard pack, where there can be either 40 tablets or 50.

Also, the medication under consideration can be sold as a solution for intravenous and intracoronary administration. This medication contains the same active substance as the tablet.

Pharmacological characteristics of the drug

What is a "Fenigidine" medication? The instruction on the use of this drug says that it is a selective blocker of calcium channels of the 2nd class, as well as derivatives of dihydropyridine.

The mechanism of action of this drug is that it slows down the process of calcium supply to the cells of the smooth muscles of the vessels and to the cardiomyocytes. The medication is able to have an antihypertensive and anti-anginal effect. It also expands the peripheral and coronary arteries, lowers the tone of blood vessels, reduces arterial pressure, OPSS, myocardial contractility, the need for cardiac muscle in oxygen and reduces afterload on the heart. In addition, this drug significantly improves coronary blood flow.

Tablets "Fenigidin" practically have no antiarrhythmic activity. Moreover, they do not inhibit the conductivity of the myocardium.

Pharmacokinetics of the drug

Where is the drug "Fenigidin" absorbed? Instruction for use says that after taking the tablets inside, the active substance is quickly absorbed from the digestive tract. The drug is metabolized through the liver. This occurs when the "first pass", resulting in the formation of inactive metabolites.

The connection of the drug with proteins is about 92-98%. The elimination half-life lasts approximately 2 hours.

The medicinal substance leaves in the form of metabolites and in unchanged form (in trace amounts) mainly by the kidneys. Also, the drug is excreted through the intestine (about 20%).

Indications for use of medicament

At what deviations do doctors prescribe to their patients such a drug as "Fenigidine"? The use of this medication is indicated in the following pathological conditions:

• In order to prevent attacks of angina pectoris, including vasospastic angina pectoris;
• For relief of angina attacks;
• With hypertensive crises;
• With arterial hypertension;
• With Raynaud's disease.

Contraindications to the use of medicament

In what cases, in any case, can not prescribe to the patient the medicine "Fenigidin"? Instructions for the use of the tablets we are considering are that they are contraindicated for the following abnormalities:

• With cardiogenic shock;
• With arterial hypotension (when systolic blood pressure is less than 90 mm Hg);
• With severe aortic stenosis;
• At a collapse;
• With severe heart failure;
• If the patient has an increased sensitivity to such an active element as nifedipine.

Methods of application and dosage of the drug

The drug "Fenigidin" from pressure is prescribed to patients only on an individual basis. For oral administration, the initial dosage is 10 mg four times a day.

If necessary, this amount of medicament is gradually increased. In this case, the dosage will be 20 mg four times per day.

In special clinical cases (for example, with variant angina or severe hypertension) for a short period of time the dose of the drug may be increased to 30 mg four times a day.

To suppress the hypertensive crisis, as well as attacks of angina pectoris, the drug can be used not perorally, but sublingually. In this case, it is prescribed in an amount of 10-20 mg (very rarely 30 mg).

For relief of hypertensive crisis and angina attack, this medication is sometimes administered intravenously (5 mg for 4-8 hours).

Intracoronary drug solution is administered with a bolus of 100-200 μg. Such treatment is usually performed to remove acute spasms of the coronary arteries. For vascular stenoses, the initial dosage should be approximately 50-100 μg.

The maximum daily dose of the medicine we are considering when taken orally is 120 mg. With intravenous administration, its volume should not exceed 30 mg.

Side effects of the drug

Intravenous solution and "Fenigidine" tablets can cause quite a large number of side effects. Which ones, we will consider right now:

• Cardiovascular system: asystole, skin flushing, ventricular tachycardia, sensation of heat, increased angina attacks, tachycardia, peripheral edema, arterial hypotension, bradycardia.
• Peripheral and central nervous system: muscle pains, headaches, light disorders of vision, paresthesia, sleep disturbances and tremor.
• The digestive tract: diarrhea, nausea, worsening of the liver, gingival hyperplasia. If the drug is used for too long and at high dosages, then dyspeptic phenomena, intrahepatic cholestasis and increased activity of hepatic transaminases are possible.
• The system of hematopoiesis: very rarely there is thrombocytopenia and leukopenia.
• Endocrine system: very rarely observed gynecomastia.
• Urinary system: increased daily diuresis. If you take the drug for a long time and in high dosages, then there may be disruption of the kidneys.
• Allergy: a rash on the skin.
• Local reactions: if the drug is administered intravenously, it is possible to burn at the injection site.

We can not fail to mention that within one minute after intracoronary administration, the patient may exhibit a negative ionotropic effect of nifedipine, as well as increase heart rate and blood pressure. These symptoms disappear gradually after about 8-15 minutes.

Interaction of the drug with other medicines

Is it possible to take the medicine "Fenigidin Zdorovie" together with other drugs? The instruction enclosed in the package warns that the person's well-being can significantly deteriorate if the medicine we are using is incorrect. In this regard, before taking it, we recommend that you consult your doctor in advance.

With a single use with diuretics, antihypertensive agents and phenothiazine derivatives, the antihypertensive effect of nifedipine may increase.

With simultaneous use with anticholinergic drugs, attention and memory can be disturbed in patients of pre-retirement and retirement age.

If you simultaneously take the drug with beta-adrenoblockers, then a person can develop severe arterial hypotension, and in some cases - and heart failure.

With simultaneous use with nitrates, the anti-anginal effect of nifedipine increases.

One-time intake with calcium decreases the effectiveness of the active element. This is due to the antagonistic interaction, which is due to an increase in the concentration of calcium ions in the so-called extracellular fluid.

There are cases of development of muscle weakness and general fatigue with simultaneous intake of the drug with magnesium salts.

If you use "Fenigidine" together with digoxin, this can slow the excretion of the latter from the body, which will subsequently cause a rise in its concentration in the blood.

One-time administration of a drug with diltiazem increases the antihypertensive effect.

With simultaneous use with theophylline, there is a possibility of a change in the concentration of the latter in the blood plasma.

The substance rifampicin is able to induce the activity of liver enzymes, as well as accelerate the metabolism of nifedipine, which ultimately leads to a significant decrease in its effectiveness.

If the drug is used simultaneously with phenytoin, phenobarbital and carbamazepine, that is the probability of a decrease in the concentration of the active substance in the blood plasma.

There are many reports of an increase in the concentration of nifedipine in the blood plasma, as well as an increase in its AUC in a single application with itraconazole and fluconazole.

If you take the drug with fluoxetine, there is a possibility of increasing the side effect of nifedipine on the human body.

In rare cases, the simultaneous administration of a drug with quinidine may reduce the concentration of the drug in the blood, and if the drug is withdrawn, it can be significantly increased, which naturally contributes to the prolongation of the QT interval on the ECG.

Such active ingredients as ranitidine and cimetidine, sometimes increase the concentration of nifedipine in the blood, enhancing its antihypertensive effect.

Alcohol-containing medicines can enhance the effects of nifedipine, which causes dizziness and other unwanted reactions.

Fenigidin during pregnancy and lactation

Strictly controlled and adequate safety studies of an active element, such as nifedipine, were not performed in pregnancy . Therefore, the use of this drug in the period of gestation of the fetus is highly discouraged.

In view of the fact that nifedipine is excreted together with mother's milk, it is necessary to avoid its use during breastfeeding or to stop lactation altogether.

In experimental studies, embryotoxic, fetotoxic and teratogenic effects of nifedipine on a woman's body were identified.

Analogs of the medicinal product

What can I replace the drug "Fenigidin"? Analogues of this drug are sold in all pharmacies. Among them, the following medicines can be mentioned: Adalat, Sponif, Vero-Nifedipine, Sanfidipine, Zanifed, Osmo-Adalat, Calzigard Retard, Nifecard, Kordafen, Nifelat , "Cordaflex", "Nifedipin", "Cordipine", "Nifedikor", "Corinth", "Nifedikap", "Nykardiya", "Nifedeks", "Nifadil", "Nifegeksal", "Nifepene" and others.

Prescribe these funds should only be the attending physician.

The drug "Fenigidin": reviews of doctors and patients

Experts note the effectiveness of the drug "Fenigidin." He quickly stops attacks of angina pectoris, and also helps with hypertensive crises, Raynaud's disease and hypertension. However, there are many negative comments from the patients about this drug. According to them, it causes many side effects. The most common manifestations are muscle pain and dizziness. However, doctors argue that such reactions are possible only if the drug is used improperly. In this regard, it should be used only under the supervision of a specialist, especially if the patient has acute myocardial infarction, severe cerebral blood flow disorders, diabetes mellitus, liver and kidney disorders, as well as malignant hypertension and hypovolemia.