Remantadine: instructions for use, indications and contraindications

Remantadine is a synthetic antiviral drug that, in fact, is a derivative of adamantane.For the first time the preparation was obtained as a result of chemical synthesis in 1963 on the territory of the United States, and on the territory of the Soviet Union the formula was significantly improved in 1969 - this final version of the drug under consideration is also being produced by the pharmacological industry.

Note: , there is another name for the antiviral agent in question, rimantadine.Each of them is actively used both among doctors and among patients.

Table of contents: Remantadine: how the preparation works Rimantadine - indications for use Remantadine - instructions for use Remantadine - contraindications Side effects Rimantadine overdose Interaction with other medicines Remantadine for children: research

Remantadine: how the drug works

The drug has an antitoxic effect, scientists have been identified for its activity against the herpes virus and tick-borne encephalitis.But the main purpose of remantadine is a disastrous effect on the influenza virus type A.

The principle of rimantadine in the body:

• prevents the penetration of the virus into healthy cells - this gives reason to consider the drug in question an effective preventive agent;
• blocks the release of viruses from the cell - this contributes to a significant reduction in the total number of viral agents in the body.

Important: Remantadine is effective not only as a preventative measure against influenza type A, but also at an early stage of the disease - the expected result of non-spreading of the virus will be obtained if no more than 18 hours have elapsed from the appearance of the first signs of pathology.

The considered drug can be taken with influenza type B virus - it is unlikely to be blocked, but antitoxic action of remantadine will be fully developed.

Rimantadine - indications for use

This drug is indicated for use in the prevention of influenza during epidemics, the early treatment of already diagnosed and progressive influenza in adults and children older than 7 years.

Remantadine is also used as a preventive agent aimed at preventing tick-borne encephalitis virus infection.

Remantadin - instruction for use

The antiviral drug to be treated should be taken after consultation with a doctor, but in the official annotation to remantadine there are general recommendations:

1. In the first two days after the first signs of influenza, remantadine should be takenIn the amount of 300 mg per day - this dose can be taken at a time, can be divided into 2-3 times.
2. On the second and third day, the daily dose of rimantadine should be 200 mg - it is divided into two doses.
3. On the fourth and fifth day of the disease - a day is enough to take 100 mg of the drug in question once.

Please note: the above general recommendations for the use of remantadine only apply to adults and adolescents( from age 14).

If you plan to treat influenza in childhood, the following recommendations should be adhered to:

• For children aged 11-14 years, the daily dose of rimantadine should be 150 mg - 50 mg three times daily;
• for children aged 7 to 14 years per day, it is recommended to consume 100 mg of the antiviral agent in question - 50 mg twice a day.

When conducting flu prevention, adults are recommended to take 50 mg of rimantadine 1 time per day, children under 10 years of age - 5 mg / kg once a day.

Features of the course of treatment and prevention of influenza:

1. The course of treatment for influenza with the drug under consideration is 5 days.
2. Rimantadine is taken only by mouth.
3. The tablets of the drug are taken after meals, washed down with plenty of water.
4. The preventive course of remantadine intake is 10-15 days.

For the purpose of preventing tick-borne encephalitis, the viral etiology should be taken at 50 mg twice a day.Duration of admission is 15 days.

In the case of an already bitten tick bite, a person should take rimantadine 100 mg twice a day to prevent the development of tick-borne encephalitis.Duration of admission is from 3 to 5 days.

Remantadine - contraindications

Recommended to read:

The official instructions for the use of rimantadine indicate unconditional and conditional contraindications.They need to be known to adults when choosing this antiviral drug as a medicine for children in case of their flu, which will prevent the development of side effects, the strongest allergic reaction.

Unconditional contraindications for the use of rimantadine are:

• impaired absorption of glucose-galactose;
• deficiency of lactase;
• galactosemia;
• marked violations of the functionality of the liver and kidneys;
• thyrotoxicosis.

Note : Rimantadine for children under 7 years of age is strictly prohibited from prescribing and taking.It is forbidden to take remantadine even during pregnancy!

With great care, the antiviral drug in question is prescribed during lactation - it is understood that physicians should correlate the risk of developing influenza for the mother's health with possible problems in refusing to breast-feed a child. Important! If a rimantadine is unavoidable, the mother should stop feeding the baby.

Conventional contraindications include previously diagnosed:

• heart disease;
• pathology of the gastrointestinal tract;
• heart rhythm disturbances;
• epilepsy.

Note: in some patients had an allergic reaction with remantadine - prior to the initiation of a course of treatment or prevention, hypersensitivity and / or individual intolerance to the drug should be avoided.

Side effects of

In general, rimantadine is tolerated well by patients, and the occurrence of side effects is extremely rare. But against the background of taking this antiviral agent may appear:

• dizziness and impaired concentration;
• is a non-intensive headache and insomnia;
• nervousness and unmotivated fatigue;
• dry mouth, nausea and vomiting;
• increased gas production;
• pain in the anatomical location of the stomach;
• classic allergic reaction - urticaria, skin itch.

If you experience at least one of the listed side effects, rimantadine should be stopped immediately and consult with your doctor about the appropriateness of the further course of taking the antiviral drug in question.Most experts either perform a complete replacement of the drug, or adjust the dosage.

Rimantadine overdose

Some patients intentionally overestimate the recommended daily doses of remantadine in order to obtain the speediest effect of recovery and / or relief of well-being.But this can lead to an overdose, and this condition will be characterized by pronounced side effects.

There is no directional treatment of rimantadine overdose, doctors recommend rinsing the stomach and getting advice from a specialist.

Note: analogues of rimantadine( Rimantadine Aktitab, Rimantadine-STI) have a similar instruction for use.

Interaction with other medications

No complex side effects were observed with simultaneous administration of the drug and other medications considered. But you need to know some of the nuances of this combination:

• rimantadine significantly reduces the activity of antiepileptic drugs;
• any medications that have astringent and enveloping properties reduce the effectiveness of the antiviral drug in question;
• ammonium chloride and ascorbic acid reduce the activity of the described agent;
• acetosolamide and sodium hydrogen carbonate enhance the effectiveness of remantadine;
• paracetamol and acetylsalicylic acid reduce the amount of absorbed active substance of the drug in question by 11%.

Remantadine for children: scientific research

The given preparation of antiviral action according to the instruction is categorically forbidden to use for children under 7 years.But doctors have relatively recently carried out research Orvirem - a drug developed in the St. Petersburg Institute.As part of this remedy the main active ingredient is remantadine, but it is supplemented with sodium alginate.It is the additional component that has adsorptive and detoxification properties - this significantly reduces the antitoxic activity of rimantadine.

A similar pharmacological form of the release of the drug under consideration provides a gradual intake of an active substance into the blood, its accumulation and prolonged circulation.Orvire can be prescribed to children aged 1 year and has a powerful counteraction to the development of the most common complications of influenza.

In the course of the research, the expediency of Orwirem's appointment to children with diagnosed acute respiratory viral infections, type A and type B influenza, respiratory infections of the virus-bacterial etiology was identified and confirmed.

It is possible to appoint an orchestra with remantadine in the form of remantadine for children aged 1 year even with diagnosed cardiac pathologies. This treatment results in a reduction in the manifestations of the intoxication period, a decrease in the risk of bacterial complications, and significantly reduces the length of the stay of the child in inpatient treatment.

Rimantadine is an antiviral drug that has proven itself both as a preventative and as a remedy.In the period of increased epidemiological danger of the spread of influenza, this means will be appropriate for adults and children.It is necessary only to strictly follow the instructions for use, observe the recommended dosages and prevent the development of side effects.

Tsygankova Yana Aleksandrovna, medical reviewer, therapeutist of the highest qualification category.