Valocardine is available in various dosage forms, the most common drug being in the form of drops. Pharmaceutical companies also produce Valocardine in tablets, which are presented in the form of Doxylamine effervescent tablets. The drug is prescribed for the treatment of neurological diseases of various etiologies. However, taking the drug can cause side effects from many body systems, so treatment with tablet forms of the drug should be agreed with the attending physician.
Compound
Valocordin contains several active components:
- ethyl ether or ethyl bromoisovalerate. This substance has a sedative effect, a mild hypnotic effect, and relieves spasms;
- Phenobarbital – suppresses the activity of the central nervous system, which makes it possible to relieve emotional stress.
Among the auxiliary components are hop and mint oil, ethanol, purified water.
Valocordin drops are a clear liquid with a distinct odor.
Important! The product contains psychotropic substances in limited quantities. Considering this, the medicine should be used strictly as prescribed by the doctor.
"Valocordin": composition, description
"Valocordin" is a drug containing 2 active ingredients;
- phenobarbital;
- ethyl bromoisovalerate.
Additional ingredients include water, ethyl alcohol, mint and hop oil. They give the product a characteristic smell.
Available in the form of drops that are taken orally. The bottle is glass, dark, the volume can be 20 or 50 ml. Has a sedative effect, reduces blood pressure. May have a slight hypnotic effect. The product is not produced in tablets.
The container can be stored at a standard temperature of no more than 25 and no less than 15 degrees Celsius. The place should be dark. Access for children is prohibited. The shelf life of the drug is 5 years.
The active components of Valocordin lead to a decrease in the intensity of excitation processes in the nervous system. Due to this, the person calms down, and sleep can come faster due to natural physiological reasons. In addition, the drug acts as an antispasmodic, counteracting sudden compression of blood vessels. Due to this, it slightly reduces blood pressure.
Effect of the drug
The use of Valocordin allows you to achieve several goals at once, thanks to the combined composition of the drug. Phenobarbital is used to dilate blood vessels and eliminate nervous tension. Provided the correct dosage is used, the drops have a mild hypnotic effect and promote rapid falling asleep and restful sleep.
Ethylbromoisovalerate regulates the state of the central nervous system, helps a person overcome attacks of panic, anxiety, fear, and helps relieve excessive emotional excitability.
Peppermint oil enhances the therapeutic effect of the above-described components and has a mild antispasmodic and analgesic effect.
Indications for use
The drug is used to relieve symptoms of various pathologies of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, including:
- cardialgia;
- sinus type tachycardia;
- regular problems falling asleep;
- excited states with a strong vegetative reaction;
- anxiety, increased anxiety;
- constant state of fear;
- neurosis;
- irritability.
Who is the medicine prescribed to?
Indications for the use of Valocordin are quite extensive. These include:
- neuroses of various etiologies;
- vegetative lability;
- attacks of angina pectoris against the background of coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular pathologies;
- spasms in the intestines not caused by intestinal obstruction;
- comprehensive treatment of excessive gas formation;
- the initial stage of hypertension. Valocordin reduces blood pressure during frequent increases;
- panic attacks due to heart disease, stress;
- the patient has a headache that occurs periodically or is constant (migraine);
- pain in the sternum caused by spasm of the coronary vessels;
- decreased quality of sleep, insomnia;
- severe emotional stress provoked by stressful situations.
The main indication for use is high blood pressure
For high blood pressure, Valocordin is prescribed as an auxiliary therapy. Its use as an independent remedy for stage 2 and 3 hypertension is inappropriate.
Overdose: main symptoms
In case of overdose, increased drowsiness, dizziness, and decreased performance are observed. In case of severe overdose, more severe consequences may occur:
- pressure drop;
- coma;
- respiratory system disorder;
- vascular dysfunction;
- decreased manifestation of peripheral reflexes.
In this case, you should immediately seek medical help. Before the ambulance arrives, the patient must be laid down, ensuring complete rest. If possible, give several tablets of activated carbon and drink them with plenty of water.
Directions for use and doses
To achieve an optimal therapeutic effect, it is important to know how to take Valocordin. The standard treatment regimen is from 15 to 30 drops of the product three times a day before meals. For a single dose, a dosage of 40 drops is allowed.
How many drops are given to a child? For children, the drug is prescribed strictly under the supervision of a specialist. The dosage for them is usually no more than 15 drops.
Important! The exact dosage and duration of treatment should be determined by the doctor individually.
Pharmacological properties
The active substance of the drug blocks ethanolamine receptors, due to which its sedative and hypnotic effects are revealed. The drug reduces the time it takes to fall asleep, which helps to increase the duration and quality of sleep. Taking the drug does not cause changes in sleep phases. Valocardin tablets also exhibit an antiallergic effect by blocking cholinergic receptors. The sedative effect of taking the medication is equal to the effect of using barbiturates. The therapeutic effect is observed for 6–8 hours.
How does the drug affect blood pressure?
Patients often ask: “Does Valocordin increase or decrease blood pressure?” As already mentioned, the drug has a vasodilating effect. Increasing the lumen in the veins and capillaries leads to a decrease in blood pressure. This is what allows Valocordin to be used in the initial stages of hypertension.
It follows that the drug should not be used by patients with low blood pressure. Even a small dose of medication can cause undesirable consequences and greatly reduce the mercury level.
Mechanism of action
The active substance leads to inhibition of the activity of the nervous system, eliminates spasm of blood vessels, thus inducing sleep.
The tableted drug does not have a pronounced therapeutic effect, since it is not used in the treatment of diseases of the heart and blood vessels. The drug is intended to reduce negative symptoms of nervous disorders and improve the general condition of the patient.
The active components of the drug can lead to a decrease in blood pressure, so taking the drug is contraindicated for hypotensive patients. In some situations, specialists prescribe tablets for the complex treatment of arterial hypertension to gradually reduce blood pressure levels.
Main contraindications
Contraindications for the drug are as follows:
- acute and chronic pathologies of the kidneys and liver;
- Valocordin should not be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- patient age under 18 years;
- personal intolerance to the main or auxiliary substances of the drug;
- Quincke's edema;
- vascular collapse.
The medicine is strictly contraindicated for people with vegetative-vascular dystonia and hypotension. It is not prescribed for other conditions characterized by low blood pressure.
Valocordin is prohibited in childhood
Contraindications and side effects
In some cases, the use of Valocordin is contraindicated:
- individual intolerance to individual components;
- kidney disorders;
- liver disorders;
- all stages of pregnancy;
- feeding period;
- children up to 17 years old inclusive.
The drug can be used with caution in cases of diagnosed alcoholism, traumatic brain injury and other pathologies associated with the brain.
Side effects are rare, mainly due to long-term use. Main features:
- increased drowsiness;
- mild dizziness;
- decreased performance.
Due to constant violation of the dosage, symptoms of bromine poisoning may occur:
- depression, mood disorders;
- rhinitis;
- diathesis of hemorrhagic type;
- conjunctivitis;
- problems with coordination of movements;
- skin rashes and other allergic reactions.
If such symptoms occur, you should immediately stop taking it and consult a doctor. In case of bromine poisoning or allergic reactions, symptomatic treatment is indicated.
What is the danger of Valocordin
Many patients take Valocordin to lower blood pressure or normalize sleep without a doctor's prescription. Is it really that safe? The drug can bring not only benefits to the body, but also harm. More often, the side effects of Valocordin are caused by improper use of the drug or the individual characteristics of the patient.
Once in the body, phenobarbital promotes the synthesis of microsomal enzymes in the liver. Against this background, other medications taken that are metabolized in the liver do not have the desired therapeutic effect.
Phenobarbital, which is part of the medication, is a narcotic substance and is prohibited in some countries. If the dosage is strictly observed, this component does not cause negative consequences. If you violate the doctor’s recommendations or take the drug for too long, there is a risk of addiction, disruption of the functioning of the central nervous system or the development of withdrawal syndrome.
In addition, the drug can affect concentration and memory. After taking it, driving vehicles and operating potentially dangerous machinery is prohibited.
A combination such as Valocordin and alcohol poses a serious threat to human life and health. Ethyl alcohol enhances the narcotic effect of phenobarbital, so when taking alcoholic beverages, the use of Valocordin becomes extremely dangerous.
Is the drug compatible with alcohol?
The metabolism of alcohol and Valocordin occurs in the liver. To neutralize these substances, the same biochemical reactions are used, which occur only in the presence of special proteins (enzymes). Hepatocytes inactivate foreign compounds, preventing their toxic effect on the body.
However, if the liver has to process two substances at the same time, its truss systems are unable to inactivate the entire volume at once. Therefore, the process is delayed, allowing the full spectrum of toxic effects of the drug and ethanol to manifest itself. This mechanism explains the impossibility of compatibility of hangover and phenobarbital in one organism at the same time.
Taking Valocordin against the background of alcoholism leads to side effects of this medication and increased hangover symptoms:
- signs of dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract (constipation, diarrhea, malabsorption syndrome);
- allergic reactions;
- impaired concentration and reaction speed.
Side effects
The instructions for use of the drug indicate the possibility of developing the following side effects of the drug:
- nasal congestion, allergic rhinitis;
- the appearance of irritability, drowsiness, nervousness;
- development of the inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the eyes;
- deterioration of orientation in space;
- allergic manifestations on the skin, urticaria, itching.
In the absence of a response to these signs or with a single dose of the drug in an amount significantly exceeding the dose, an overdose of Valocordin occurs. Doctors distinguish between mild, moderate and severe stages of the severity of this condition. With a mild overdose, the patient notes drowsiness, apathy, and decreased blood pressure. The average degree is accompanied by a deterioration of the condition; it happens that it is difficult to wake a person, breathing and heart rate are impaired. The severe stage carries the threat of lethargic sleep, precoma and coma.
Important! If symptoms of overdose are detected, immediate action must be taken. The patient needs to rinse his stomach, and if his condition worsens, take him to the hospital.
Headache and malaise are considered side effects of the drug
special instructions
If there is a need to use the drug during lactation, breastfeeding should be abandoned.
Valocordin is not prescribed to patients with alcohol dependence, as it contains ethanol.
The product has a relaxing sedative effect. It is dangerous for people whose work requires special care to take the medicine. This applies to drivers, pilots, workers operating complex mechanisms.
Taking the drug for too long can cause addiction, accumulation of bromine in body tissues, and toxic poisoning.
The effect of Corvalol and what it helps with
The main effect of the drug is a sedative effect. Additional actions include dilating small blood vessels, relieving spasms, and reducing muscle tone. The benefit (therapeutic effect) of Corvalol is its rapid sedative and analgesic effect. This is useful for reactions to stress and mental trauma, neurotic conditions, and all types of psychosomatic diseases: hypertension, palpitations, asthma attacks, a feeling of a lump in the throat, irritable bowel syndrome, itchy skin and rashes.
Corvalol is not classified as a potent drug (despite the fact that it contains them) and therefore can be easily purchased at a pharmacy without a doctor's prescription. According to the DSM Group and the RBC portal, Corvalol is one of the best-selling drugs in the country in terms of the number of packages, second only to some painkillers.
According to surveys of doctors, it is extremely rarely recommended for use for therapeutic purposes, and only as a one-time (one-time) dose. From which we can conclude that the majority of purchased Corvalol is not used as prescribed by a doctor.
What is the reason for such a widespread use of Corvalol (and its analogues - valocordin, valoserdin)?
In our opinion, there are three main reasons
- Long-term history of admission. The drug has been known since “Soviet times”. Due to the fact that phenobarbital in combination with alcohol has a strong inhibitory effect on the nervous system, after taking Corvalol, the severity of symptoms of psychosomatic origin decreases. This is where the illusion arises that the drug helps with almost all diseases: from hypertension to alcohol hangover, from heart pain to seizures. That is, due to the specificity of its action, Corvalol can cause relief (albeit temporary) in many painful conditions.
- Lack of accessible, reliable other sedatives. Psychiatric illiteracy of the population. Low appeal to psychotherapists and psychiatrists. Often, with many mental disorders caused by overexcitation of the nervous system (reaction to stress, neuroses, psychosomatic diseases, insomnia, etc.), people do not turn to a specialist psychotherapist, but tend to seek relief by taking some kind of universal sedative.
- A large number of people dependent on Corvalol. Also, people with alcohol addiction often use alcohol-containing medications as a substitute for alcoholic beverages, using Corvalol, Valocordin, tinctures of hawthorn, valerian, motherwort, etc. Dependence on Corvalol has all the signs of drug addiction: mental, then physical dependence on Corvalol is formed. According to the observations of psychiatrists and psychiatrists - narcologists, there are a lot of Corvalol addicts among adults and elderly people.
Analogs
There are a large number of drugs similar in their composition and therapeutic effect to the drug in question. Analogs of Valocordin can be as follows:
- homeopathic Nott's drops - used for insomnia and excessive excitability of the central nervous system. The product has a relaxing effect and normalizes heart rate;
- Cavinton tablets are used as a vasodilator, help improve oxygen supply to the brain, and help utilize excess glucose. The drug is prescribed to patients with neuralgic and mental disorders caused by cerebral circulatory disorders;
- Sibazon tablets - eliminate spasms, have a relaxing effect, help get rid of seizures, and restore heart rhythm. Sibazon belongs to a number of psychotropic drugs;
- Corvalcaps capsules are prescribed to overcome excessive nervous excitability, normalize sleep, and lower blood pressure. Indications for use include insomnia, neuroses, conditions accompanied by spasm of the coronary vessels, and intestinal spasms.
Valoserdin is a popular analogue of Valocordin
Special attention should be paid to such an analogue as Valoserdin. Patients often compare these two drugs, asking which is better and what is the difference between these drugs? Valoserdin is a Russian medicine, Valocordin is a German drug. In terms of their therapeutic effect, both drugs are identical. Their difference is in composition and cost. Valoserdin contains oregano oil, Valocordin does not. Valoserdin costs almost half as much as the German drug.
Release form and composition
The drug is available in the form of white tablets, which, when dissolved in water, release gas bubbles.
One tablet contains:
- doxylamine succinate 15 mg;
- sodium bicarbonate;
- citric acid;
- sodium hydrogen phosphate;
- sodium sulfate;
- sodium benzoate;
- macrogoal
International trade name of the drug Valocordin-Doxylamine.
The drug is available in two types of tablets:
- effervescent (1 tablet dissolved in 100 ml of water);
- coated (taken orally with a minimum amount of liquid).
Patient reviews
Further in the article you can read reviews about Valocordin. Patient responses are predominantly positive and are of the following nature.
Anastasia, Irkutsk “I myself am a nervous and irritable person, I try with all my might to fight these qualities, but sometimes my nerves give in. Six months ago, I encountered a symptom such as panic attacks. People who have encountered this will understand me, the condition is simply terrible. Valocordin helped me cope with this. The drug acts quickly, literally after 3 - 5 minutes it becomes easier. I have only positive impressions about the product.”
Veronica, Moscow “Valocordin is always on our pharmacy shelf. My mother and grandmother take this product. One day I had to take it, because I was very worried before the upcoming interview, I was shaking, it was even difficult to speak. After 5 minutes of taking the drops, she calmed down and her heart stopped beating wildly. The only negative is that I didn’t dare get behind the wheel, because I read that the medicine reduces concentration.”
Ekaterina, Ufa “I always took Valocordin during times of severe anxiety or insomnia. This continued until I learned about the possible negative consequences and addiction to the product. Now I take it much less often and with caution. Pros: fast action, affordable price. Disadvantages: strong, repulsive smell, unpleasant taste.”
conclusions
Valocordin brings calm and has the ability to relieve vasospasm. The main active ingredients (phenobarbital and ethyl ester of bromoisovaleric acid) are toxic. However, when following the instructions, the risk of overdose is minimized.
There are such analogues of the drug Valocordin: Valordin, Valoserdin, Valoferin, Corvalol, Lavocordin, Pangluferal. In some of them, phenobarbital is replaced by diazepam.
Valocordin and its substitutes are poorly compatible with a good reaction, so they should not be taken by people in professions that require constant concentration (drivers).