What does No-Shpa help with, who and how should take the drug in tablets and ampoules?

There are medications that should be in any family's medicine cabinet. One of these drugs is No-shpa, which has established itself as a highly effective antispasmodic used to relieve pain of various types. Due to the fact that the medication is available without a prescription, it is often used uncontrolled, without taking into account the contraindications and side effects that No-shpa has, like any other medication.

The active substance of this drug is drotaverine, which has an antispasmodic effect on smooth muscles and is therefore able to cope even with severe pain of a spastic nature.

How to use No-shpa correctly, and in what cases will the drug bring real benefits?

No-Shpa - composition

No-Shpa belongs to the group of antispasmodic drugs. It has a relaxing effect on smooth muscles by inhibiting PDE enzymes. As a result, the concentration of substances in the blood increases that cause inactivation of kinase - a substance that affects myosin and causes a decrease in muscle tone. The drug is actively used to treat diseases and disorders associated with spastic muscle contraction.

Considering in detail the drug No-Shpa, the composition of the drug, in addition to the main active ingredient drotaverine, it is necessary to name the auxiliary components:

• magnesium stearate;
• povidone;
• corn starch;
• lactose monohydrate.

Release form, composition and packaging

No-spa is produced in two forms: tablets and injections. The active ingredient in both of them is drotaverine hydrochloride.

The tablets are yellow-green in color. They are biconvex and round in shape. On one side they have the inscription “spa”.

One tablet contains 40 mg of the active ingredient. No-shpa forte tablets are also produced, the content of drotaverine is 80 mg.

They include auxiliary elements:

• magnesium stearate;
• povidone;
• talc;
• corn starch;
• lactose monohydrate.

Tablets are available in aluminum blisters or polypropylene bottles packed in cardboard boxes. There can be 6, 10, 20 or 24 pieces in one blister. 60 or 100 tablets are placed in a bottle.

Solution for injection is a transparent liquid of yellow-green color. One ampoule may contain 20 or 40 mg of the main substance.

Additional components contained in ampoules with solution:

• sodium disulfite;
• ethanol 96%;
• water.

The ampoules are made of darkened glass and are notched at the break point. Their capacity is 2 ml. One package contains 5 ampoules. The packages are placed in a cardboard box.

No-Shpa - indications for use

For cramping pain in the abdominal area, No-Shpa (the composition of the tablet is indicated above) is the first drug that patients use. However, there are other disorders for which No-Shpa can be used, the indications for use of which are as follows:

1. Spastic contractions of smooth muscles in diseases of the biliary tract -
   cholecystitis, cholangitis, cholecystolithiasis.
2. Muscle spasms of the urinary system
   - nephrolithiasis, pyelitis, urethrolithiasis, cystitis.

The drug is also used as part of complex therapy for:

• spasms of the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract: peptic ulcer, gastritis, enteritis, colitis;
• tension headache;
• painful periods;
• hypertonicity of the uterus;
• threatened abortion.

pharmachologic effect

The main active component of No-shpa is drotaverine hydrochloride, an antispasmodic that has a positive effect on the smooth muscles of the genitourinary and biliary tract, as well as the gastrointestinal tract. The substance helps effectively relieve swelling, normalizes blood circulation and eliminates inflammation in muscle tissue.

The main advantage is the absence of negative effects of the drug components on the functioning of the nervous system. After taking the tablets, the result is felt after 20 minutes, a greater effect is achieved after 1 hour. When the solution is administered intravenously, after 2-5 minutes, the maximum effect is after 30 minutes. Complete elimination of drotaverine from the body occurs 72 hours after administration.

No-Shpa - side effects

Having figured out what No-Shpa helps with, it is necessary to highlight similar effects of the medicine. If the drug is used as prescribed by a doctor and the dosage and frequency of administration are observed, side effects are rarely observed. However, it is not always possible to completely eliminate them. Thus, with regular and systematic use of the drug No-Shpa, the following side effects may occur:

• from the gastrointestinal tract, constipation, nausea;
• from the nervous system: sleep disturbance, dizziness, headache;
• from the cardiovascular system: tachycardia, decreased blood pressure.

Any of these side effects or other deterioration in health while taking No-Shpa is a reason to discontinue the medication and consult a doctor. In such cases, the therapeutic dose is adjusted, and if there is no effect, the drug is replaced with a similar one. Observations show that side effects when using No-Shpa occur rarely and are often associated with violation of medical recommendations.

Side effects

If the drug is administered intramuscularly or intravenously, local reactions at the injection site are possible.

A person taking No-Shpu may develop the following negative reactions:

• nausea, constipation;
• insomnia, dizziness, headaches;
• tachycardia, decreased blood pressure;
• allergies, Quincke's edema.

If a person experiences unpleasant symptoms, he should stop taking the medicine.

No-Shpa - contraindications for use

Having learned what No-Shpa helps with, you need to familiarize yourself with the contraindications. According to the instructions, the drug cannot be used by all patients. There are a number of violations for which it is prohibited to use No-Shpa, the contraindications for its use are as follows:

• severe liver failure;
• renal failure;
• disorders of the heart (heart failure);
• the patient's age is less than 6 years;
• lactation period;
• galactose intolerance;
• malabsorption syndrome;
• hypersensitivity to the components of the drug.

Use the drug with caution:

• during pregnancy;
• with hypotension;
• for the treatment of children.

special instructions

Before you start taking No-shpa tablets, you should read the instructions for the drug. There are several special instructions regarding their use, which include:

• The use of the drug for pregnant women is possible only after a doctor’s prescription, if the expected benefit to the mother outweighs the potential risk to the fetus.
• In patients with impaired digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, negative reactions from the digestive system may occur, this is due to the fact that the drug contains lactose.
• The drug in a therapeutic dosage does not affect the functional state of the structures of the central nervous system. If side effects develop, work that requires increased concentration of attention and speed of psychomotor reactions should be stopped.
• The drug may interact with drugs from other pharmacological groups, so if you use them, you should consult your doctor.

No-Shpa - application

The medication must be prescribed by a doctor. Depending on the type of disorder, severity of symptoms and stage of the pathological process, the drug can be used in different ways. When prescribing No-Shpa, the dosage, frequency of administration and duration of treatment are determined individually. At the same time, doctors never exceed the established maximum daily doses of the drug:

1. For adults
   – 240 mg (6 tablets per day). Adults are prescribed 40–80 mg of No-Shpa once.
2. For children over 6 years old
   - no more than ½ tablet once.

No-Spa for headaches

No-Spa (tablets) are often used for headache attacks. The drug is effective for tension headaches and tension. They arise as a symptom of neurological or psychological problems: frequent lack of sleep, severe stress, heavy physical activity. Patients complain of a feeling of pressure in the temporal region, uniform pain that gradually intensifies.

If the course is unfavorable, tension headaches can become chronic. They completely exhaust the patient for several days. To relieve pain symptoms in this case, doctors recommend taking No-Shpa once a day. The principle of treatment is to eliminate the cause of the headache. No-Spa is used only to make the patient feel better.

No-Spa at temperature

The drug has a weak antipyretic effect, therefore it is used as part of complex therapy. By acting on the vessels of the extremities, the medicine eliminates their spasm, causing the lumen to expand. Increased blood circulation promotes increased heat transfer, resulting in a decrease in body temperature. No-Spa at high temperatures helps to quickly normalize this parameter. Prescribe 1 tablet 1-2 times a day simultaneously with taking the main drug. To quickly eliminate hyperthermia, No-Shpa is used in ampoules.

No-Shpa during early pregnancy

Increased contractility of the muscle fibers of the uterus is a common occurrence when carrying a baby. To eliminate increased uterine tone, doctors prescribe No-Shpa. The drug helps relax the smooth muscles of the reproductive organ, which helps to avoid pregnancy complications, including spontaneous abortion. The expansion of the lumen of blood vessels helps to ensure a normal supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus, which it receives from the blood.

No-Shpa during early pregnancy can only be prescribed by a doctor. Dosage, frequency of administration and duration of treatment are determined individually. The specialist takes into account the degree of disturbance and the severity of uterine tone. The recommended dose is 80–160 mg per day. In the later stages, in the 3rd trimester, they try not to use the medicine. Relaxation of smooth muscles causes partial dilatation of the cervical canal, which increases the risk of premature birth.

No-Spa for menstruation

The period of menstrual flow for many girls is accompanied by unpleasant painful sensations in the lower abdomen. Spastic pain is associated with increased contraction of the uterine muscles. The organ tries to completely cleanse itself, expelling exfoliated endometrial cells and unfertilized eggs.

The muscle tissue of the uterus can remain in an excited state for a long time, causing the woman discomfort and pain. To alleviate suffering, you can use No-Spa for pain during menstruation. However, it must be taken into account that it is allowed to take one tablet of the drug once, and no more than three per day.

No-Spa for stomach pain

The drug is also actively used to relieve pain associated with spastic contraction of the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract. However, No-Shpa for abdominal pain is more often used in complex treatment. The drug helps to make the patient feel better, but does not affect the cause of the disorder. Given this fact, doctors do not recommend using the medicine frequently.

The maximum single dose should not exceed 2 tablets. No more than three doses of medication are allowed per day. In case of exacerbation of chronic processes, No-Shpa is used for no more than three days in a row. For adolescents, the maximum dosage of the drug should not exceed 160 mg per day, as prescribed by the doctor.

No-Spa for high blood pressure

Telling the patient about what the drug No-Shpa helps with, doctors note the hypotensive property of the drug. Many patients with high blood pressure often ask doctors whether No-Shpa helps lower blood pressure. Due to the effect of the drug on the tone of blood vessels, their lumen expands. As a result, there is a decrease in the pressure exerted by the blood flow on the vascular wall. In addition, the likelihood of spastic attacks is reduced, which has a positive effect on blood pressure.

However, it is worth considering that this action is not the main therapeutic effect of No-Shpa, therefore using the drug for the treatment of hypertension is prohibited. The medicine can be used as an additional agent, otherwise there is a risk of developing persistent hypotension. As an emergency remedy, you can take 1 tablet of the drug. After administration, it is necessary to monitor blood pressure levels using a tonometer.

No-Spa for kidney pain

No-Spa for kidney pain can be used for acute or moderate pain syndrome. As a symptomatic remedy, the drug is used for various diseases of the urinary system:

• renal colic;
• urolithiasis;
• bladder tenesmus;
• pylorospasm.

Patients are recommended to take a single dose of the drug in the amount of 1 tablet. In case of severe pain syndrome or renal colic, simultaneous administration of 2 tablets is allowed. After hospitalization, in a hospital to replicate an attack of colic, the medicine can be administered intravenously. No-Shpa injections are used at a rate of 40–80 mg. The drug is added to a sodium chloride solution. This helps to quickly eliminate the attack - the patient feels relief after a few minutes.

No-Spa for cough

You can also use No-Shpa for coughs accompanied by bronchospasm. In such a case, the cough is unproductive, painful, and attacks of suffocation often occur. No-Spa helps to dilate blood vessels and reduce the excitability of internal organs, which has a positive effect on the patient’s overall well-being.

It is necessary to take into account how long No-Shpa acts in this case. The drug has a short-lived effect and cannot be used as the main treatment for paroxysmal cough. During a coughing attack, doctors recommend taking no more than 2 No-Shpa tablets, washing them down with plenty of water.

No-Spa for hiccups

When talking about what No-Shpa helps with, it is necessary to highlight the anti-hiccup property of the medicine. Hiccups are a disruption of normal breathing that develops against the background of convulsive contractions of the diaphragm. This manifests itself in a short, unpleasant breathing movement, which is accompanied by a specific sound. This symptom often occurs against the background of overeating and hypothermia. There are many folk methods for getting rid of hiccups, but there are no special medicines.

Knowing about the drug’s ability to relieve spasms, patients often wonder: will No-Shpa help in this case, can it be used for hiccups? In practice, it has been proven that the medicine can quickly eliminate an attack of hiccups. No-Spa eliminates spasm of the intercostal muscles and diagrams, normalizes breathing. In case of a severe attack of hiccups, the drug is taken in a dosage of 40 mg, after which relief occurs.

How and for how long it works

The active substance has powerful antispasmodic activity. After intravenous and intramuscular administration, relaxation of smooth muscles occurs. Drotaverine hydrochloride inhibits the activity of the PDE type 4 enzyme. As a result, the amount of cyclic adenosine monophosphate increases, the concentration of calcium ions and the degree of pain decrease.

The drug is effective for neurogenic pain.
The medicine causes relaxation of the muscles of the digestive and urinary systems, biliary tract. Has a vasodilating effect. After oral administration, blood circulation improves and blood pressure decreases to normal levels. What do you think are the most important factors when choosing a medical facility?
Drotaverine hydrochloride binds to plasma proteins, penetrates tissues and is evenly distributed throughout muscle structures. Subject to biotransformation in the liver. It is completely eliminated from the body within 3 days.

Effective in 5-10 minutes.

It has a pronounced and long-lasting analgesic effect. Does not affect the central nervous system. The effect lasts up to 3-4 hours. If the condition does not improve within 2-4 hours after the maximum dose, you should consult a specialist. You should not take other medications with No-shpa.

Dosage

Injections are given 1 to 3 times a day. The instructions indicate the daily dosage for adults and children:

• from 1 year to 6 years - 120 mg;
• from 6 to 12 years - 200 mg;
• from 12 years - 240 mg.

The recommended daily amount should be divided into 3 times for children, and from 12 years old - into 2 times. After an abortion or during childbirth, the medicine is administered intravenously at 80 mg. The interval between administrations is at least 2 hours.

What does it help with?

No-Shpa has many indications for use. The drug is recommended to be taken for renal and hepatic colic, for pain that occurs when stones pass through the bile ducts, and for the development of inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract.

The medicine is widely used in urology and gynecology. It is taken by patients suffering from cystitis and other inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract. Injections and tablets are used as an analgesic and antispasmodic medication. Gynecologists often recommend No-Shpu for dysmenorrhea - painful periods, if the cause of the pain is associated with uterine spasms. The medicine helps during labor, promoting the opening of the uterus.

But in this case, the medicine should be used only after consultation with a specialist.

You should not rely on the healing effect of No-Shpa for toothache. Drotaverine is effective for spastic pain, but the cause of pain in the teeth is completely different factors.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding

The main reason for prescribing No-shpa to pregnant women is the treatment of spasms of hollow organs, primarily the smooth muscles of the uterus. In most cases, a pregnant woman is prescribed 1-2 tablets three times a day.

To speed up the process of dilation of the cervix during childbirth and reduce the risk of injury, 40 mg of the drug is first administered. If the effect is weak, you can repeat it.

Use during lactation: once in breast milk, the active substance enters the baby's body. A single dose will not have a negative effect on the child’s body. If the mother is prescribed a long course of taking No-shpa, she will have to stop breastfeeding. Some components of the drug may have undesirable toxic effects on the baby.

How often and for how long can the drug be used to relieve pain?

The duration of a course of taking No-shpa without a doctor’s prescription can be no more than two days. If, as a result of such treatment, there is no improvement in the condition, you should immediately consult a doctor - if necessary, he will individually determine the duration and dosage of admission.

Children are recommended to take No-shpa in tablet form

Overdose

A severe overdose of No-Shpa is accompanied by cardiac arrhythmia and disturbances in the conduction function of the heart, up to complete blockade of the branches of the PG (bundle of His) and cardiac arrest, which can lead to the death of the patient.

The literature indicates that the lethal dose of drotaverine is 1.6-2.4 grams (from 40 to 60 tablets of 40 mg). Death occurred 2-3 hours after the drug was taken. Wikipedia states that the LD50 of drotaverine is approximately 135 mg/kg.

After taking a large dose of drotaverine, the victim should be under medical supervision. Treatment is symptomatic, including gastric lavage, induction of vomiting and maintenance of vital body functions.

In case of overdose, symptomatic treatment and medical supervision are necessary.

Price and analogues

The cost of an antispasmodic directly depends on the volume of packaging and the form of release.

Effective analogues of No-shpa from the same pharmacological group are identified.

Of the proposed analogues, Noshpalgin has the best analgesic effect, since it contains paracetamol and codeine.

Analogs

Instead of No-shpa, you can use the following drugs:

1. Spasmol is a domestic medicine containing drotaverine. It is produced in tablets, contraindicated for children under 6 years of age and breastfeeding patients. Spasmol can be used with caution to treat pregnant women.
2. Spasmonet is a complete analogue of No-shpa. The drug is produced in tablets, which can be used with caution in children under 6 years of age. Pregnancy and lactation are not a contraindication to treatment with Spasmonet.
3. Papaverine is a substitute for No-shpa according to the clinical and pharmacological group. The medicine is commercially available in tablets, injection solution, and suppositories for vaginal administration. The antispasmodic can be used to treat infants older than six months. When the benefit to the mother exceeds the harm to the baby, Papaverine can be used by pregnant and lactating patients.
4. No-shpalgin is a combination drug, one of the active ingredients of which is drotaverine. This potent drug is available in tablets that cannot be prescribed to patients under 6 years of age, pregnant women, or breastfeeding women.

The cheapest analogue of the analyzed antispasmodic is Drotaverine. According to the instructions, the medicine is identical in its mechanism of action and composition. The price of a substitute drug varies from 30 to 130 rubles. Analogs of the drug are made on the basis of papaverine or drotaverine. An unusual substitute is also sold - the Indian drug Spazoverine. A drug containing paracetamol and codeine, No-shpalgin, has a strong analgesic effect. Other analogues:

• Nosh-Bra;
• Drotaverine Forte;
• Papaverine;
• Spasmonet;
• Spasmol.

Analogues of the drug No-shpa include No-shpa forte, Drotaverine, Drotaverine forte, Spasmonet, Spazmol.

Drug price

The cost of the medicine is on average 192 rubles. Prices range from 47 to 556 rubles.

The use of No-shpa may weaken the antiparkinsonian effect of the drug Ledopa. When No-Shpa injections were administered in combination with morphine, an increase in the antispasmodic activity of the drug was observed, and when combined with tricyclic antidepressants, there was a risk of developing arterial hypotension. Increased antispasmodic activity is also observed when taking other antispasmodics simultaneously.

Interaction with other drugs

Drotaverine helps to significantly reduce the antiparkinsonian effect of levodopa. Increased rigidity and increased tremors may also occur.

In the case of simultaneous use of No-shpa with other antispasmodics, a mutual enhancement of the therapeutic effects occurs.

Drotaverine provokes aggravation of arterial hypotension under the influence of quinidine, tricyclic antidepressants and procainamide.

When No-shpa is combined with phenobarbital, the antispasmodic properties of drotaverine are enhanced.

When used simultaneously

it is possible to reduce the antiparkinsonian effect of levodopa, i.e. increased rigidity and tremor. When used simultaneously, No-shpa Forte enhances the antispasmodic effect of papaverine, bendazole and other antispasmodics (including m-anticholinergics). When used simultaneously, No-shpa Forte reduces the spasmogenic activity of morphine. With simultaneous use, phenobarbital enhances the severity of the antispasmodic effect of drotaverine.

General information about the drug

No-shpa is classified as an antispasmodic, a drug that relieves spasms. What is he? A spasm is an involuntary muscle contraction that occurs due to physiological or pathological reasons. Spasm is a symptom of some diseases. It can also provoke one or another disease, since it disrupts blood circulation in muscle tissue.

Action of No-shpa

Antispasmodics, depending on the mechanism of action, are usually divided into 2 large groups:

1. Neurotropic. Such medications are aimed at affecting nerve endings in order to impair the transmission of impulses to the brain.
2. Myotropic. These drugs relieve spasm of muscle tissue by participating in biochemical processes in cells. Myotropic drugs (unlike neurotropic antispasmodics) do not affect the human nervous system.

No-shpu is classified specifically as a myotropic antispasmodic agent. Its mechanism of action is determined by the activity of the active ingredient – ​​drotaverine. Its main properties:

• decreased intake of calcium ions into muscle cells;
• significant dilation of the blood vessels of internal organs;
• decreased blood pressure;
• increase in cardiac output.

Drotaverine

Drotaverine is a derivative of isoquinoline, a chemical element that can inhibit a special enzyme - phosphodiesterase. This enzyme is involved in the hydrolysis of cyclic adenosine monophosphate, increasing its concentration in the blood.

This leads to a chain of biochemical reactions in muscle cells that reduce the concentration of active calcium. This provokes suppression of the contractile activity of muscle tissue. Drotaverine relieves spasms of smooth muscles of neurotic and miotic origin, leading to relaxation of the muscles of internal organs.

After ingestion, drotaverine is completely absorbed and metabolized. Its maximum concentration is observed 40 minutes after administration. It is evenly distributed in smooth muscle cells.

It does not have the ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, but can penetrate the placenta in small quantities. The period of complete elimination of drotaverine lasts about 4 days. At the same time, half of it is excreted by the kidneys along with urine, and 30% is excreted along with bile.

In addition to drotaverine, No-shpa contains excipients, the presence of which differs somewhat depending on the form of release of the drug:

• Pills. One capsule contains 40 mg of drotaverine, as well as corn starch, lactose and other chemicals.

• Solution for injection. One ampoule has a volume of 2 ml, 1 ml of solution contains 20 mg of drotaverine, as well as auxiliary components (sodium metabisulfite, ethanol).

The use of one or another pharmacological form of the drug depends on the general condition of the patient, the intensity of the pain syndrome, as well as any contraindications he has. The dosage and duration of treatment is determined by the attending physician.

Drotaverine or No-Shpa, what is the difference?

Sooner or later, most people are faced with the need to take a small yellow tablet to quickly relieve the unpleasant condition of spasm. The active ingredient in No-Shpe is drotaverine. Many people have heard this name more than once; it is the most commonly found analogue of No-shpa in pharmacies. What differences are there, if any, between these two medications?

A person buys one medicine, then buys another. After carefully reading the instructions for the drugs, it becomes clear that there are no discrepancies in the pharmacological action, active substances and effects on the body. Then for what reason is No-Shpa more expensive and does it make sense to buy it rather than the more affordable Drotaverine?

No-Shpa is the registered trade name of a drug based on drotaverine. To obtain a patent for the production of a medicine, it is necessary to carry out many pharmacological tests, including on the quality of the materials used in production and the complete safety of using the drug in therapy. With all the costs of clinical trials, inspections and various certifications, patenting a drug turns out to be very expensive for the manufacturer. Therefore, when producing a patented medicine, a percentage of the patent is included in its cost.

Drotaverine is a generic drug. This is an international name; any pharmaceutical company can use it to produce drotaverine-containing drugs, without purchasing an expensive patent. Therefore, of course, the cost of drotaverine will be lower. But before you go to the pharmacy, it is worth keeping in mind that generics are subject to less stringent control and safety requirements.

As a result, when purchasing a generic drug, the consumer relies on the integrity of the manufacturer. However, this does not mean that generic drugs have more pronounced side effects or are in any way harmful to health.