- October 19, 2018
- Cardiology
- Yulia Lobach
The negative symptoms caused by spasms are well known to everyone. Abdominal pain, headache and even arterial hypertension are quite dangerous conditions. It is especially bad if blood vessels undergo spasms. Doctors have long wanted to get a drug that would effectively protect the patient’s body from spasms. Such a remedy actually exists - these are the well-known Papaverine candles.
Composition and release form
Papaverine suppositories can be bought in pharmacies without a prescription; it is produced by various pharmaceutical companies. In Russian pharmacies the drug is available from Belarusian and Russian manufacturers.
Three dosage forms can be found on sale, each of which differs in its purpose, namely: tablets, rectal suppositories and injection solution.
Rectal papaverine suppositories are white to yellowish-white or creamy-white, torpedo-shaped.
One suppository contains 20 mg of papaverine hydrochloride.
In addition to the active ingredient, candles contain stearins and solid fats that melt at human body temperature, and emulsifiers.
Effect of the medication
According to the instructions for the Papaverine suppositories, the main purpose of the prescribed suppositories is to relieve spasms of smooth muscles and dilate blood vessels. The drug has a calming effect and allows you to quickly reduce the sharply increased blood pressure. Additionally, suppositories stimulate blood flow to the affected organ and help restore the patient’s normal heart rhythm.
Doctors note the positive effect of the medication on the smooth muscles of the respiratory, urinary and intimate organs, as well as the gastrointestinal tract. Papaverine hydrochloride, which is the active component, additionally eliminates pain and cramps. Made in the form of suppositories, the drug is easy to use.
The rectal administration of Papaverine suppositories allows the active ingredient to be absorbed into the blood, due to which it is delivered to the diseased organ at high speed. This is what ensures the increased effectiveness of the medicine and almost instantaneous relief of the patient’s condition.
The effect of suppositories lasts from 3.5 to 4 hours. Then the active component is destroyed and leaves the body along with urine.
What Papaverine suppositories are used for is interesting to many.
Pharmacokinetics
The active substance, entering the body, is quickly absorbed, regardless of the form of release of the drug. Communication with blood proteins is up to 90%. The drug is metabolized in the liver. The approximate half-life of Papaverine ranges from half an hour to 120 minutes. Active and auxiliary components are excreted from the body by the kidneys in the form of metabolites.
The effect of the medicine is observed after 15 – 20 minutes
Purpose
In the classification of medications, Papaverine usually falls into two categories - antispasmodics and vasodilators (vasodilators).
The drug can be prescribed for various spasms of internal organs, which relate to the circulatory, urinary systems and gastrointestinal tract. First of all, these are spasms of the smooth muscles of the internal organs. These organs are: uterus, intestines, gall bladder, bladder, respiratory organs.
In addition, the drug is able to eliminate spasms of blood vessels in the heart, brain, and peripheral vessels.
Areas of medicine in which the product is used:
- therapy;
- urology;
- surgery;
- gynecology;
- gastroenterology;
- traumatology.
Main indications for the use of suppositories:
- inflammatory process in the gallbladder (cholecystitis);
- uterine hypertonicity;
- inflammatory process of the large intestine (colitis);
- haemorrhoids;
- inflammation of the bile ducts (cholangitis);
- headache;
- constipation;
- hypertension;
- flatulence;
- intestinal and stomach colic;
- menstrual pain;
- bronchospasm;
- urethritis;
- angina pectoris;
- cystitis;
- endarteritis;
- urolithiasis disease;
- pylorospasm;
- renal colic;
- spasms of cerebral vessels;
- pyelitis;
- spasms of the ureter that retain urine;
- spasms of the bile excretion pathways.
The drug can be used as the only remedy to eliminate certain symptoms, and as part of a complex treatment.
In addition, the drug is often used as a method of premedication before various surgical operations and procedures on the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, in the urological and proctological field. The use of “Papaverine” allows you to relax the muscles of the internal organs and thereby facilitates surgical manipulations.
The drug for subarachnoid hemorrhage is used for the coronary arteries as a vasodilator. It can also be used for a similar purpose in the process of coronary artery bypass grafting.
"Papaverine", like other antispasmodics, is used as one of the means of complex treatment of erectile dysfunction.
If there is no improvement after a therapeutic course, you should consult a doctor for advice.
What else does the instructions for use for Papaverine suppositories tell us?
What pressure does Papaverine treat?
The medication acts on the internal organs, ensuring their relaxation. Due to the increase in lumen, the pressure in the capillaries becomes somewhat less, because the total capacity of the arteries and veins increases.
The drug is not used for low blood pressure, as this will lead to an even greater hypotensive effect. "Papaverine" has an effect only on smooth muscles and absolutely no effect on striated muscles.
The drug does not affect the contractility of the heart or skeletal muscles. There is also no muscle relaxation, which means there will be no feeling of weakness or other negative effects.
Contraindications
Although in most cases the use of suppositories is completely safe for the human body, there are a number of contraindications to the use of the product:
- glaucoma (high pressure inside the eye), due to the fact that suppositories dilate blood vessels, they significantly enhance the negative symptoms of the disease;
- the presence of any cardiac conduction defects: for such diseases the drug cannot be used, since it activates the activity of the circulatory system;
- kidney failure;
- individual sensitivity of the body or allergic reactions of the patient to the active substance itself and to the auxiliary components of the suppositories.
Papaverine suppositories are not prescribed to children under six months of age. Also, the drug is not recommended for use by older people, which is associated with age-related changes in the body. If pathologies of the thyroid gland, endocrinological disorders associated with insufficient production of hormones by the adrenal glands have been identified, in case of traumatic brain injuries, rectal suppositories are prescribed especially carefully so as not to harm the patient’s body.
special instructions
During therapy with the medication, you should avoid drinking alcohol. The active components of the product in combination with alcohol can cause a negative reaction.
Papaverine often has positive reviews, but despite this, the medicine should be used only as prescribed by a doctor.
The drug of any release form is used with extreme caution among patients with severe pathologies of the kidneys and liver.
Alcoholic beverages should be avoided during treatment with Papaverine.
When administered intravenously, the injection is given slowly and under the supervision of a doctor. Too rapid administration can cause heart rhythm disturbances and other negative consequences.
Among patients who have suffered skull injuries, the medicine is used only if necessary in a hospital setting.
Application for children
The high safety of the drug is evidenced by the fact that it can be given to children from the age of six months. In some cases, a pediatrician may prescribe the drug at a younger age, but most doctors do not welcome this practice.
Most often, “Papaverine” is prescribed to children to eliminate cramping abdominal pain, intestinal colic and bronchospasms, spasms and colic of the liver, urethra, and pancreatitis. There is also the option of using “Papaverine” in pediatrics to combat peripheral vascular spasm during hyperthermia. The antispasmodic is given to the child twenty minutes before the antipyretic.
Patient reviews
Valery, Taganrog “Papaverine is always in our medicine cabinet. Of course, my wife and I don’t take pills constantly and uncontrollably, but in some cases they really do help, especially since we both suffer from periodic high blood pressure. The drug is good, it’s inexpensive, I’m satisfied with its effect.”
Natalya, Kazan “When the weather changes, I always suffer from headaches. This is due to vasospasm. The doctor recommended that I take a Papaverine tablet. The product helps well, after 15-20 minutes I feel relief.”
Victor, Ivanovo “Several years ago I was diagnosed with urolithiasis. I was in the hospital where they crushed stones for me. Now fine sand is still coming out little by little. In this case, the pain is quite severe. To alleviate the condition, the doctor prescribed me Papaverine. The drug does its job perfectly, the pain goes away within a quarter of an hour.”
Side effects
As the instructions for use indicate, suppositories with papaverine hydrochloride are usually well tolerated by patients, and side effects are observed infrequently. As a rule, this happens when the dosage of the drug is slightly exceeded. Side symptoms disappear either when the drug is discontinued or when the dosage is reduced.
When using Papaverine, the following side effects may occur:
- decreased blood pressure;
- angioedema;
- ventricular extrasystole;
- hyperemia;
- constipation;
- hives;
- drowsiness;
- rash;
- tachycardia;
- nausea;
- eosinophilia;
- intestinal bloating;
- cardiac conduction disturbance (atrioventricular block);
- loss of appetite;
- arrhythmias (tachycardia, ventricular extrasystole);
- abdominal pain;
- collapse;
- dry mouth;
- hyperthermia (mainly in elderly patients);
- diarrhea;
- sweating;
- dizziness;
- diplopia, blurred vision;
- jaundice.
If allergic symptoms appear, the medication should be stopped immediately. Since the side effects of Papaverine include decreased blood pressure and dizziness, during treatment you should refrain from performing work that requires concentration and attention, or driving.
How to light candles
Where to insert Papaverine and how often can it be done? Suppositories should be used only as prescribed by a doctor. Typically, adults are administered 20–40 mg of the drug 2-3 times throughout the day. Sometimes a specialist may adjust the dosage depending on the diagnosis. Considering the question of how long the drug takes to act, it should be noted that on average the effect occurs after 30 – 40 minutes. Sometimes you have to wait longer for results. This depends on the characteristics of the disease and the individual qualities of the body.
Overdose of this drug
In accordance with the instructions for papaverine suppositories, overdose is rare in clinical practice. Most often, the drug is used in too large doses to treat children.
The main symptoms of an overdose are the side effects described above, but in a more severe form. The most commonly observed symptoms are:
- double vision;
- weakness;
- decreased blood pressure;
- drowsiness.
Treatment is symptomatic. The patient must be brought to a medical facility. He needs to rinse his stomach, take enterosorbents and drugs that increase blood pressure. In severe cases, hemodialysis (cleansing the kidneys of fluid and toxins) may be performed.
