Antihypertensive, antiarrhythmic medicine Egilok: instructions for use, side effects and analogues

Medicine rightly considers arterial hypertension a by-product of human development.

The high rhythm of city life, stress, bad habits and family history often lead to hypertension.

Doctors explain: a timely visit to a specialist and proper treatment are only half the success. An effective and maximally safe medicine is required.

In confirmation of the latter, the pharmaceutical market has presented the successful development of pharmacologists against blood pressure - the drug Egilok.

Letters from our readers

Topic: Grandma's blood pressure has returned to normal!

From: Christina ( [email protected] )

To: Administration otgipertonii.ru

Christina, Moscow

My grandmother’s hypertension is hereditary - most likely, I will have the same problems as I get older.

I accidentally found an article on the Internet that literally saved my grandmother. She was tormented by headaches and had a repeated crisis. I bought the course and monitored the correct treatment.

After 6 weeks she even started talking differently. She said that her head no longer hurts, but she still takes pills for blood pressure. I am sending a link to the article

Indications for use

The main advantage of the drug is its complex effect, which makes it possible to treat a number of serious pathologies:

• excess blood pressure (BP);
• tachycardia (high heart rate);
• atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm);
• ventricular extrasystoles (extraordinary contractions);
• functional disorders of the heart, characterized by tachycardia;
• angina pectoris (pain in the heart area);
• fight against repeated heart attacks;
• prevention of migraine attacks;
• hyperthyroidism (increased production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland).

It is also important that the multi-drug provides a long-lasting therapeutic effect.

pharmachologic effect

Belongs to the group of beta blockers. The main effect of the drug is to reduce blood pressure. Additional actions of the drug:

• decrease in heart rate;
• reduces angina pain and the number of attacks;
• improves well-being;
• reduces the risk of heart attack;
• normalizes heart rhythm;
• reduces myocardial contractility;
• reduces migraine pain.

Egilok is a drug from the group of beta1-blockers

The drug in a therapeutic dose does not affect the muscular wall of the bronchi and peripheral arteries.

The peak effect of the drug occurs within an hour. Less than 10% of the drug is excreted by the kidneys, the rest is transformed in liver cells. In case of liver diseases with impaired hepato-biliary function, the drug begins to accumulate in hepatocytes. In such conditions, the dosage is adjusted.

Which is better Egilok or Bisoprolol

The pharmaceutical characteristics of the medications will help you understand which is better: Egilok or Bisoprolol. Both drugs belong to the type of beta1-blockers and are successfully used to treat hypertension and cardiac arrhythmia.

However, the action of Bisoprolol is based on the active substance bisoprolol fumarate, and the therapeutic effect of Egilok is determined by the content of metoprolol tartate or Metoprolol.

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The difference in the main components explains some of the difference in how the drugs work:

• Egilok reduces blood pressure for 8 hours and must be taken again during the day, but the therapeutic effect of Bisoprolol lasts 24 hours and 1 tablet per day is enough;
• Egilok is maximally active 90 minutes after consumption, and the therapeutic peak of Bisoprolol occurs 1 or 3 hours after administration;
• a medication containing metoprolol is not indicated for use in children and older patients, but Bisoprolol is acceptable for the treatment of elderly hypertensive patients under constant medical supervision;
• if Bisoprolol is ineffective, it can be replaced with Egilok;
• In terms of price, the cost of a cardiac drug that includes Metoprolol is higher.

Considering all the advantages and disadvantages of the two medications, only the attending physician can decide which is better than Egilok or Bisoprolol.

Egilok drug interactions and possible use during pregnancy

Drugs that may interact with Egilok include those listed below.

Reserpine and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. May increase the effects of metoprolol. They may also increase feelings of dizziness or slow your heart rate further. MAO inhibitors include: Isocarboxazid, Phenelzine, Selegiline, Tranylcypromine.

Drugs to normalize heart rhythm. Taking digitalis (Lanoxin) with metoprolol may slow your heart rate too much.

Calcium channel blockers. Like metoprolol, these drugs are taken by hypertensive patients and people with various heart problems. When combined with metoprolol, calcium channel blockers can reduce heart contractions and slow down the heart rate. Doctors sometimes use this combination, but only under close supervision. These drugs include: Amlodipine, Diltiazem, Felodipine, Isradipine, Nicardipine, Nifedipine, Nimodipine, Nisoldipine, Verapamil.

Drugs that are processed in the body by the same organs as metoprolol. Their combination with metoprolol can increase the level of metoprolol in the body. The most common: Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, Sertraline, Bupropion, Clomipramine, Desipramine, Aminazine, Fluphenazine, Haloperidol, Thioridazine.

Alpha blockers. Lower blood pressure and may lower blood pressure too much when combined with metoprolol. Alpha blockers include: Guanethidine, Reserpine, Clonidine, Prazosin.

Stopping Clonidine while taking metoprolol may cause a sharp rise in blood pressure.

Many pregnant women with hypertension are concerned about the question: is it possible to take Egilok while pregnant? Metoprolol is a Category C drug. This means two things: animal studies have shown adverse effects on the fetus when the mother takes the drug. However, there have not been enough human studies of Egilok. Admission is justified only when the benefits to the mother are higher than the risks to the fetus.

Important

If you are pregnant and have high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about other treatment options during pregnancy.

Metoprolol passes into breast milk and can be passed into the newborn's body if the mother is breastfeeding. This can lead to the child developing bradycardia (slow heart rate). Therefore, if it is impossible to discontinue the drug, it is recommended to stop breastfeeding. Children aged 1-17 years are recommended to choose a different drug.

Release form

The pharmaceutical industry produces the original hypotonic medicine in tablet form and in the form of a 1% solution in ampoules.

Light-colored, coated tablets with a cross-shaped score and engraving “E 432”, “E 434” or “E 435” (depending on the dosage) are distributed in 10 pieces in a plastic blister. Cardboard containers hold from 3 blister packs.

The medication is also available on sale in light-protective glass bottles No. 30 and No. 60.

Instructions for use

The box of tablets contains instructions for using Egilok, which indicate the algorithm for its use.

You can take the medication regardless of food intake. The optimal therapeutic dose of Egilok blood pressure tablets is selected gradually.

It is important to know that daily intake should not exceed 200 mg.

For arterial hypertension

In the initial stages, it is recommended to start treatment with 25-50 mg in the morning and evening. If this tactic is insufficiently effective, the dose can be increased to 100 or 200 mg over 24 hours or the drug can be enhanced with another substance with a similar effect.

For pain in the heart

In the first stages of the disease, it is enough to take from 0.025 to 0.05 g 2-3 times a day. If there is no improvement in the condition, the daily intake is increased to 0.2 g or the prescription sheet is replenished with additional antianginal substances.

Prevention and post-infarction period

The daily dose is 0.1 or 0.2 g, distributed in the morning and evening.

Help with tachycardia

Initially prescribed from 25 to 50 mg 2-3 times a day. If necessary, a dosage of 200 mg per day is indicated. It is possible to supplement with other antiarrhythmic pharmaceuticals.

Thyroid problems

Treatment begins with a daily dose of 0.15-0.2 g, divided into 3 or 4 times.

Functional pathologies of the heart

For complaints of palpitations, it is recommended to take 0.05 g no more than 2 times (at the beginning and end of the day). The maximum consumption in 24 hours is 200 mg.

Preventing migraine attacks

During the day you are allowed to drink 100 mg in a couple of doses. In a complicated situation, the maximum dosage is increased to 200 mg.

Despite the fact that the instructions for using Egilok are written quite clearly, you should not self-medicate. You should trust your health only to professionals in this field.

Use during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Treatment of hypertension in pregnant or breastfeeding mothers is acceptable. However, in this case it is necessary to carefully calculate the dosage of the drug. It is allowed to prescribe the drug in doses that are not capable of harming the fetus or a breastfed child . Since such doses are very small, they will not have a therapeutic effect on the woman’s body, which makes such treatment impractical. Studies have confirmed that a small amount of the drug is excreted in breast milk.

Side effects

Egilok from pressure has low toxicity. Some negative aspects during its use do not cause serious harm and are completely reversible. However, knowledge about possible unwanted reactions of the body will be useful.

• Cardiovascular area. Basically, the pulse rate decreases, insufficient blood flows to the brain, blood supply to the lower extremities worsens, and palpitations are felt. Less commonly, heart patients show signs of heart failure; blockades and arrhythmias are possible. After a heart attack, the contractile force of the myocardium is impaired. An extremely rare unfavorable situation in people with vascular problems is gangrenous lesions.
• Neurology. Patients complain of headaches, dizziness and general weakness. In rare cases, attention and concentration decrease. Diametric changes in mood are recorded: anxiety and hyperactivity, drowsiness and insomnia, apathy and anxiety. Memory impairment and hallucinations are rare.
• Breathe-helping machine. Shortness of breath during physical activity is more common. Sometimes asthmatic patients experienced bronchospasm. Very rarely, patients experience inflammation of the nasal mucosa.
• Gastrointestinal tract. The most common manifestations: abdominal pain, constipation or loose stools, nausea. Vomiting occurs less frequently. Liver dysfunction is almost never observed.
• Skin. Possible manifestations from the epidermis are local irritation, from the sweat glands – hyperhidrosis. Patches of baldness sometimes appear on the hairline. In people suffering from psoriasis, it is very rare for symptoms to worsen. Some people experience increased perception of UV rays.
• Genital area. In single variants, sexual dysfunction and impotence in men are noted.
• Vision, hearing, perception. The organ of vision often suffers from inflammatory processes, dry eyeball, and visual disturbances. Some complications with hearing (ringing in the ears). An extremely rare occurrence is taste disorders.
• Gaining excess weight. Joint pain. Decrease in the number of platelets in the blood.

If the above symptoms are present, you should consult a doctor, adjust the prescription or replace the medicine.

Contraindications

Despite the good results of taking Egilok for high blood pressure, it is important to know to whom it is prohibited. Medical specialists warn about caution if you have:

• increased susceptibility to metaprolol and other beta-blockers;
• antirioventicular blockades (type 2-3);
• weakness of the sinus node;
• pulse less than 50 beats per minute;
• systolic pressure reading below 100;
• complicated heart failure;
• severe pathologies of peripheral vessels;
• co-prescription of the cardiac drug Verapamil;
• diagnosed bronchial asthma;
• in childhood and adolescence;
• acute myocardial infarction;
• hormone-dependent tumor pheochromocytoma.

Caution required

Situations that allow the use of a dosage form for health reasons:

• period of pregnancy and feeding of the baby;
• antirioventicular block type 1;
• diabetes;
• hyperthyroidism;
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma;
• obliterating endarteritis;
• elderly age;
• depressive syndrome;
• tendency to allergies;
• renal and liver failure.

Given the seriousness of the health requirements, it is important when talking with a doctor to inform about all diseases in the anamnesis.

Overdose

If the recommended dosage is exceeded during a therapeutic course, the consequences appear after a period of 20 minutes to 2 hours. Symptoms may be as follows:

• a sharp decrease in blood pressure;
• arrhythmic pulse;
• narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi;
• disruption of the heart;
• drop in blood sugar levels;
• AV block;
• cyanosis of the skin;
• loss of consciousness;
• onset of coma.

It should be remembered that the effect of Egilok is enhanced when combined with antidepressants, relaxants, quinidine and alcohol.

Interaction with other drugs

Not all medications are comparable to each other, Egilok is no exception. Clinical trials conducted at the stage of development of the pharmaceutical product showed the following results of its combination with other dosage forms:

• with cardiac glycosides there is a risk of heart rate slowing;
• with other antihypertensive drugs (especially Methyldopa, Clonidine and others) there is an excessive hypotensive effect and (or) bradycardia;
• with anesthesia substances there is a real threat of cardiac depression;
• with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the antihypertensive effect is weakened;
• with a group of tranquilizers, neuroleptics, antidepressants and alcohol, hypotension increases;
• with ergot alkaloid (Ergometrine), circulatory disorders in peripheral vessels may occur;
• with sympathomimetics (Ephedrine) it is possible to increase blood pressure, stop the heartbeat, and have a rare pulse;
• with estrogens, the hypotensive properties worsen;
• with medications for diabetes, the hypoglycemic effect is aggravated;
• combination with other beta-blockers, for example, as part of eye drops for glaucoma, requires constant monitoring.

"Egilok" at low pressure

This medicine should not be taken by patients with chronic hypotension (blood pressure below 90/60). The active ingredient of the drug inhibits heart function, reduces the strength and frequency of heart contractions. It also acts on vascular receptors and reduces peripheral vascular resistance. As a result of such processes, blood pressure drops even more and bradycardia appears - a slowdown in heart rate. Bradycardia in many cases worsens hemodynamics, resulting in hypoxia, all tissues of the body suffer from a lack of oxygen. First of all, the tissue of the nervous system reacts to oxygen starvation. The central nervous system is depressed and the person may lose consciousness due to an acute disorder of cerebral circulation.

Indications of the drug "Egilok" for blood pressure:

• arterial hypertension;
• IHD;
• angina pectoris;
• hypertonic disease;
• all types of arrhythmias, with the exception of bradyforms;
• migraine prevention;
• is part of the combination treatment of hyperthyroidism.

All varieties of the drug Egilok have antiarrhythmic, hypotensive and antianginal effects

Analogs

Drugs based on Metoprolol are actively produced by pharmaceutical associations in different countries. Among the most famous generics of Egilok in the pharmacy chain are:

• Betalok Zok (Sweden, AstraZeneca AB);
• Corvitol (Germany, Berlin-Chemie);
• Metoprolol Teva (Teva Pharmaceutical Enterprises Limited, Israel).

For ease of use, analog products are available not only in tablet form, but also in ampoules.

Conditions of release and storage

The drug is widely available and can be purchased without a prescription from a pharmacist or doctor at any pharmacy in your city. It is advisable to store the tablets in a dark room with a temperature no higher than twenty degrees and a humidity below 70 percent.

The cost of the drug is quite low, which allows it to be used for a long time even with average incomes. When compared with analogues, this medicine is not inferior in quality and is much more accessible to a wide range of consumers.