Almost all people on the planet face acute respiratory viral infections or acute respiratory infections every year - a common cold or flu takes the organism out of action for 4 to 8 days, causing complications in case of careless treatment. Consider medicamentous drugs that are prescribed in ARVI.
Methods of treatment
In general, tablets for colds and influenza can be classified into the following groups:
- Immunostimulants - vitamins, and in particular ascorbic acid (vitamin C), high doses of which facilitate the flow of ARVI.
- Antiviral - tablets, which are most effective for preventing influenza and colds, but also at the stage of illness they have a harmful effect on infectious agents.
- Preparations for basic and symptomatic therapy - antipyretic, expectorant, vasoconstrictive (nasal drops), etc.
It should be noted that, despite the efforts of scientists, science has not progressed in the fight against viruses as far as in the fight against bacteria, so there is no specific pill against influenza and ARVI yet. Nevertheless, antiviral drugs still accelerate the process of recovery, although the main rate in the treatment of colds is usually done for symptomatic therapy.
Antiviral drugs
One of the groups of drugs whose effectiveness against influenza has been proven are neuraminidase inhibitors: they do not allow the virus to spread in the body, relieve the severity of the symptoms and minimize the risk of complications.
Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) - begin to take in the first two days of the disease. Caution is given to people who have impaired renal function.
Zanamivir - can not be combined with inhalants and bronchodilators (sprays from asthma). These pills against the flu can cause irritation in the nasopharynx and even bronchospasm.
Oseltamivir and Zanamivir are very effective against influenza A and B viruses, but other SARS are not afraid of them. Taking them without consulting with the doctor is dangerous - in addition to the listed advantages, the tablets have a number of side effects.
The blockers of the viral protein M2
Another category of antiviral agents are M2 blockers, which include Rimantadine and Amantadine (and their analogs). Such pills help against the influenza A virus, although there are already many resistant strains. Preparations are considered to be sufficiently toxic and not particularly effective, therefore they are used less and less.
Sometimes they prescribe ribavirin - they also treat hepatitis and herpes, but the drug has an extremely extensive list of side effects and contraindications, and many researchers agree that the risk of taking it exceeds the possible benefits.
Interferon Inductors
The greatest hopes doctors place on tablets against influenza and colds based on interferon (IFN) - they are combined with other antiviral agents, enhancing their effect. The sooner you start taking these drugs, the higher the effect will be.
In general, interferon is a group of proteins that secretes the body in response to the invasion of the virus. Inductors of IFN stimulate the production of these proteins and inhibit the activity of the infectious agent:
- Amiksin (or tilorone);
- Kagocel;
- Amizon;
- Arbidol;
- Grogrinosine;
- Cycloferon.
These same tablets are relevant for the prevention of influenza.
Children under 2 years of age are prescribed a donor normal immunoglobulin, which contains anti-influenza antibodies.
Symptomatic treatment
To fight against cold and flu, time-tested medicines are also used:
- Antipyretics - paracetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin (only for adults); the temperature below 38 ° C is undesirable.
- Local vasoconstrictive drugs - drops in the nose based on xylometazoline, naphazoline, oxymetazoline (apply no more than 5 days).
- Tablets for resorption - are relevant for such complications of acute respiratory viral infection (not influenza), as tonsillitis, pharyngitis.
- Expectorants - Acetylcysteine, Ambroxol, Bromhexine, Carbocysteine; help fight productive cough.
- Antitussive - Butamirate, Glaucine, Dextromethorphan, levodropropizin, Prenoxidiazine; are shown with excruciating dry cough.
So, what tablets from flu and cold are most effective, we considered. I would like to add that it is important to supplement medication with folk remedies: abundant drink, honey, raspberry jam, citrus, wraps with fever, gargling - all this gives an excellent result, tested by more than one generation.