Rimantadine is the basis of many medicines taken during colds. That is why doctors often prescribe medications with this substance to patients. How to take rimantadine, is it possible to use Remantadine for children, and what are the consequences of its erratic use?
Material Content:
Composition (active substance), release form
A drug called Remantadine can be found only in tablet or capsule forms. The first are white round tablets, packed in blisters or sold in a glass jar. The second are produced in boxes of 30 pieces. The capsule itself looks like a reddish powder coated with a white gelatin shell.
The active substance of Remantadine is rimantadine hydrochloride (2 mg / ml of the drug). It performs the main function of the drug - it fights viruses. Auxiliary components are presented:
- milk sugar;
- starch;
- magnesium silicate with hydroxyl;
- calcium stearate.
This antiviral drug is strictly prohibited for children under the age of 7 years. For kids, Orvirem (Algirim) syrup is more suitable. In such a medication, the active component is fixed on a salt of alginic acid, which reduces the side effect of rimantadine on the children's body. Due to the form of release, the active substance is absorbed gradually, which allows to achieve a lasting effect from use.Syrup can be bought at the pharmacy with a capacity of 100 or 200 ml.
At what age can you give Remantadine to children
Remantadine tablets can be taken by patients over the age of 7 years, and giving them to babies under 1 year old is strictly prohibited. For this age group, there is a milder liquid form of the product. Capsules with rimantadine are allowed to be taken by adolescents over 14 years of age. This is due to the fact that this form of the drug is prescribed in higher doses.
Instructions for use and dosage
After the small patient takes the medicine, it enters the digestive system, where its components are subject to sufficiently slow adsorption. The drug enters the tissues, decomposes in the liver and is excreted through the urinary tract. Remantadine acts on the membrane protein M2 of the virus, preventing the spread of pathogenic microflora, thereby stopping the development of the disease.
Remantadine can treat many diseases caused by the following pathogens:
- respiratory syncytial viruses;
- Respirovirus
- adenoviruses;
- influenza viruses;
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
The instructions for use say that the fastest effect can be achieved if you take the drug on the first day after the manifestation of unpleasant symptoms. But before using the drug, you need to consult a doctor, since taking Remantadine is allowed only with acute respiratory viral infections, influenza, infectious pathologies and a recent virus infection.
Drugs with rimantadine are taken after meals, washed down with the required amount of water. Children aged 7-10 are given 50 mg 2 times a day, from 11 to 14 - three times a day. For patients whose age exceeds 14 years, there is the following daily regimen for taking Remantadine:
- 100 mg three times a day.
- 100 mg twice daily.
- 100 mg twice daily.
- 100 mg once daily.
- 100 mg once daily.
As can be seen from the scheme, the course of treatment with Remantadine lasts no more than 5 days.
Syrup for children Orvirem is given to children in the following dosages:
- Babies up to 3 years old - 1 tablespoon 3 times in the first day, 1 teaspoon 2 times on the 2nd and 3rd day, 1 teaspoon 1 time on the 4th and 5th days.
- Children from 3 to 7 years old - 3 teaspoons 3 times on the first day, 3 teaspoons 2 times on the 2nd and 3rd day, 3 teaspoons 1 time on the 4th and 5th days.
- After 7 years - 5 teaspoons three times a day for 5 days.
Remantadine can be purchased without a prescription. The price of the drug is approximately 80-200 rubles. depending on the form of release. Syrup Rimantadine Kids and Orvire cost 150-250 rubles.
Keep the product out of the reach of children and moisture at a temperature not exceeding +25 degrees, not longer than 5 years from the date of issue.
Use for disease prevention
Often, remantadine is given to the child in order to prevent the disease. This measure helps prevent the development of acute respiratory viral infections or its possible complications. And also Remantadin protects the child from tick-borne encephalitis, but this information is not fully confirmed.
In the case of the prevention of viral infections with Remantadine, it should be given 0.05 g once a day for two weeks. This precaution is only acceptable for children over 7 years old.
For prevention, syrup should be given to a child, starting from his age:
- Up to 3 years - 1 tablespoon 1 time per day.
- From 3 to 7 years - 3 teaspoons 1 time per day.
- Upon reaching 7 years and older of this age - 2 tablespoons 1 time per day for 10-15 days.
It is important to remember that the dosage of rimantadine per day should not be more than 0.05 g per kilogram of the child’s weight.
Drug interaction
Medicines with rimantadine lose their effectiveness when combined with antihistamines. The same result of treatment awaits patients when taking the medicine together with enveloping, astringent or absorbent medications. These drugs impair the absorption of the active substance.
It is not recommended to take Remantadine together with acetylsalicylic acid or Paracetamol. With this kind of interaction, rimantadine will very quickly be eliminated from the body through urination.
If you use the drug in combination with medications that recur urine, then the effectiveness of Remantadine will increase significantly.
The combination of Remantadine with medicines containing sorbitol increases the risk of dyspepsia.
Contraindications, side effects and overdose
According to pharmacists, Remantadine is well tolerated by children. In rare cases, after taking it, small patients may experience:
- nausea;
- vomiting
- drowsiness;
- a jump or drop in bilirubin;
- allergy;
- increased heart rate;
- heart failure;
- hypertension;
- flatulence;
- cerebrovascular accident;
- fainting;
- tremor;
- dullness or loss of smell;
- skin rashes;
- decreased appetite;
- tinnitus;
- dyspnea;
- bloating;
- epigastric pain;
- distracted attention;
- abrupt change of mood or tearfulness.
In the event of an overdose of the drug, the patient has the following symptoms:
- nausea;
- arrhythmia;
- excessive sweating;
- cramping in the abdomen;
- constipation;
- Pain in the eyes;
- inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes;
- insomnia;
- hallucinations;
- dry skin;
- frequent urination
- fever;
- cramps
- vomiting
- overexcited condition.
To get rid of an excess of rimantadine, the baby is immediately washed with a stomach, prescribed adsorbent drugs and drugs that eliminate unpleasant symptoms.
Not all children can take Remantadine.
Absolute contraindications for admission are:
- pathology of the kidneys or liver;
- increased hormones of TSH in the blood;
- immunity and negative reaction to the components of the product.
It is worth using the medicine with caution in epilepsy, since rimantadine increases the risk of episindroma. And also with special attention should take the medicine for children with any diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or hypertension.
Antiviral drug analogues
If rimantadine is contraindicated for any reason to the child, the doctor may prescribe analogue drugs, including:
- Rimantadine Avexima;
- Polirem;
- Rimantadine-Neo;
- Afobazole.
Replace medications based on rimantadine with other medicines is allowed only after consultation with your doctor.
Rimantadine-based drugs are allowed to be given to a child starting from the first year of life. But, depending on the age and the problem to be solved, the dosage and course of treatment may vary. Therefore, in order not to harm the child, causing him a number of side effects, you need to discuss taking the medicine with your doctor. After all, only a professional is able to compare the benefits received with the possible risks of taking the medication.
