Piracetam is a well-known medicine used in the treatment of a number of disorders in neurological, psychiatric and narcological practice. The drug is available in various forms, in a hospital environment, Piracetam injections are most often used.

The composition of the drug

The basis of the pharmaceutical preparation is the nootropic piracetam in the amount of 0.2 g for every milliliter of solution. The volume of ampoules is single - 5 ml. The manufacturer prepares the medicine in cardboard packs of 5 or 10 doses. Excipients include sodium acetate, water, and ethanoic acid.

The solution is a colorless transparent liquid, without a specific odor.

Nootropic drug is dispensed in pharmacies strictly according to the prescription.

Pharmacological action, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics

The drug belongs to the group of psychostimulating and nootropic drugs. The medicine stimulates the central nervous system and improves cognitive function.

Pharmacological properties:

  • a change in the speed of the processes of excitation and inhibition in the central nervous system;
  • stimulation of metabolic processes in the central nervous system;
  • improvement of cerebral circulation;
  • strengthening interhemispheric connections;
  • protection of the brain and nerve tissue from the effects of hypoxia.

The tool is used as part of a comprehensive treatment and as monotherapy for various diseases of the central nervous system, including in cases of cerebrovascular accident.

The drug is highly bioavailable.The maximum concentration of the active substance in blood plasma is achieved 30 to 40 minutes after the introduction of a therapeutic dose. The half-life of the drug, on average, takes 6 hours. The drug is excreted by the kidneys unchanged, therefore, if their work is disturbed, the half-life may increase. In general, renal failure slightly affects the metabolism of the drug.

Why are Piracetam injections prescribed for children and adults?

The drug is widely used to treat various neurological disorders in adults and children.

A distinctive feature of the nootropic is the ability to apply from the first days of life. However, treatment of newborns is carried out exclusively under the supervision of a doctor.

For adults, Piracetam injections are prescribed for the treatment of various vascular pathologies of the brain. The drug is widely used in neurological practice to improve brain function in the elderly.

Among the indications:

  • atherosclerosis;
  • parkinsonism of vascular origin;
  • cerebrovascular accident;
  • acute alcohol withdrawal;
  • myoclonus.

Some neurologists use this drug in addition to the treatment of migraine, neurocirculatory dystonia. In psychiatric practice, medication is often prescribed to patients with depression, in the case of the development of resistance to antidepressants.

For children, the drug is prescribed in the following cases:

  • encephalitis;
  • encephalopathy;
  • cerebrovascular accident;
  • impaired attention;
  • memory impairment;
  • impaired mental function.

The medicine is often used in the intensive care unit of newborns, in case of intrauterine hypoxia of the fetus or infection of the brain. Also, the medicine is used to prevent the development of complications in newborns when receiving a birth injury to the skull.

As an adjuvant, Piracetam is prescribed as part of the complex therapy of cerebral palsy.

Instructions for the use of a nootropic drug

For home treatment, medication is most often prescribed in tablets, while injections are used mainly in medical institutions. Children under one year of age are prescribed intramuscular or intravenous administration, since small patients cannot swallow the pill.

The dose of the drug is selected by the doctor personally for each patient, depending on the indications. So, in the treatment of cognitive impairment in adults, the allowable dosage is 4.8 g of active ingredient per day. As a rule, Piracetam is administered intravenously.

Intramuscular injections are usually given to children. The drug is injected into the buttock or front of the thigh. There are no universal dosages for children, the amount of the drug is determined by the pediatrician.

You can not give injections to a child or an adult. Despite the fact that the drug has been well studied, self-medication can be harmful to health, so nootropics can be used only as directed by the attending physician.

During pregnancy and lactation

The drug quickly overcomes the placental barrier, therefore, pregnant women are not prescribed due to the risk of a negative effect of the drug on the fetus.

During lactation, you can not use the drug, since it penetrates into breast milk. If you can’t do without using the drug during this period, the woman should stop breastfeeding during treatment.

Contraindications, side effects, overdose

The drug is unsafe, and refers to prescription drugs. Before you start using the nootropic in ampoules, it is recommended that you carefully study the official instructions.

The main contraindications:

  • intolerance to the active substance;
  • acute cerebral stroke;
  • acute renal failure;
  • Huntington's chorea;
  • senile dementia.

Despite the fact that the drug improves memory and concentration, as well as increases the ability to remember new information, with senile dementia, the drug is not used due to lack of effectiveness.

In the vast majority of cases, Piracetam injections are well tolerated by the body, but the following adverse reactions may occur:

  • hyperkinesis;
  • weight gain;
  • anxiety;
  • asthenic syndrome.

If side effects occur, you should consult your doctor about the possibility of reducing the dosage or replacing the drug with another nootropic agent. An overdose of the drug is manifested by an increase in side effects. In this case, symptomatic treatment is carried out, hemodialysis is effective.

Piracetam analogs in ampoules

Analogues of the drug are not difficult to pick up. These include drugs "Nootropil", "Lutsetam", "Difosfocin." The list of nootropic drugs with similar pharmacological properties is very long, but not all of them are safe. In order not to harm yourself, you should consult with your doctor about the selection of analogues.

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