Piracetam is a nootropic drug used by neurologists and psychiatrists. From our article you will learn what Piracetam is, what it is prescribed for, a list of possible side effects and a list of effective substitutes.

Composition and form of release

Piracetam contains the same active substance, based on GABA. It is produced in the form of tablets, capsules and injection solution.

Pharmacological properties and pharmacokinetics

Piracetam has a positive effect on the brain.

Pharmaceuticals affects the central NS in several ways:

  1. Improves metabolism in nerve cells.
  2. Stimulates microcirculation.
  3. It does not have a vasodilating effect.

The drug stimulates blood flow and improves contact between the cerebral hemispheres. Under the influence of Piracetam, the adhesion of platelets and red blood cells decreases, they become more elastic.

Medication helps the brain recover from hypoxia. It has been experimentally proven that Piracetam can enhance the medicinal effect of antidepressants. If combined, it increases their effectiveness.There is no information confirming the feasibility of prescribing Piracetam for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke.

The pharmacokinetic properties of the drug are not dependent on time. Three days after the start of treatment, a constant concentration of the drug is recorded in the blood.

The patient feels relief about half an hour after absorption of the drug from the digestive tract. It accumulates in the brain after four hours. For the same time period, the drug is half eliminated from the body. Piracetam is not amenable to metabolism.

The kidneys excrete 90 percent of the drug. Patients with renal failure should take the drug under constant medical supervision. If the disease is at the last stage, Piracetam should not be consumed. If the course of treatment is long, the patient needs to constantly check renal function.

Why is the drug prescribed?

Piracetam has a wide spectrum of action.

The list of his testimonies is presented:

  • pathologies of cerebral vessels;
  • poor blood circulation in the brain;
  • coma;
  • consequences of intoxication and brain injuries;
  • lesions of the National Assembly;
  • symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

Psychiatrists advise taking Piracetam to people who suffer:

  • neurotic depression, accompanied by lethargy;
  • schizophrenia, accompanied by psycho-organic syndrome and atrophic process;
  • epilepsy;
  • immunity of antipsychotics.

Also, the instructions for use say that Piracetam in combination with other medications helps to treat mental illness and depression.

Narcologists use the drug in order to rid the patient of:

  • withdrawal symptoms and delirious conditions that occur during the abuse of alcohol and drugs;
  • chronic alcohol, accompanied by mental problems.

Instructions for use and dosage of Piracetam

Each dosage form of the drug has its own pattern of use. If necessary, the doctor can correct it.

Piracetam tablets

Piracetam tablets are taken orally. They need to be washed down with plenty of water, do not chew or dissolve.

The recommended daily dose is 1200 mg in three divided doses. If there is no positive result, the dose is raised to 3200 mg. If the patient feels relief, the dose drops to 400 mg. Certain diseases require long-term treatment. It is forbidden to abruptly refuse to take Piracetam.

Children aged 1-5 years are prescribed 800 mg of Piracetam per day (200 mg per dose). Older children can take a dose within 12-16 g. As a rule, the therapeutic course does not exceed 21 days.

In ampoules for injections

For the treatment of the psycho-organic syndrome, the patient is prescribed from two to four grams of Piracetam per day for 15 days. If necessary, the dose is raised to six grams.

After a stroke, the patient is given 4.8 grams of the drug for two consecutive weeks. To eliminate alcohol withdrawal symptoms, it is enough to introduce 2.4 grams of medication for 15 days.

For the treatment of sickle cell anemia, you need to use the dosage of the drug, calculated according to the formula 160 mg per kilogram. With crisis, the dose increases to 300 mg per kilogram. Such injections Piracetam can be administered to children older than 12 months.

Capsule

Piracetam capsules are taken on the same principle as tablets.

During pregnancy and lactation

Piracetam is not suitable for the treatment of pregnant women. It is proved that its constituent components penetrate the placenta, accumulate in the brain of a child and can provoke a nervous breakdown.

Pharmaceuticals can penetrate into breast milk, be transmitted with it to the baby and greatly aggravate his health. If Piracetam is prescribed to a nursing woman, she needs to transfer the child to artificial feeding for the duration of the treatment or ask the doctor to prescribe a safer analogue.

Drug interaction

Simultaneous administration with thyroid hormones provokes in a patient:

  • anxiety;
  • irritability;
  • trembling limbs;
  • trouble sleeping;
  • confusion.

If you combine Piracetam and central NS stimulants, this can enhance the psychostimulating effect. The combination with antipsychotics provokes extrapyramidal disorders.

Piracetam Compatibility with Alcohol

These two substances do not have a chemical interaction. That is, alcohol is not able to destroy Piracetam molecules.

The same active component of the drug can protect the brain from the negative effects of alcohol, but both it and alcohol have high bioavailability. Alcohol is able to be rapidly absorbed into the gastrointestinal mucosa. The highest level of a substance in the blood is reached within ten minutes after consumption. The half-life depends on the amount and type of alcohol taken, so it can vary from two hours to several days.

Piracetam is also well absorbed by the small intestine. Its maximum level is fixed within an hour after ingestion. Half-life takes four to seven hours.

Based on these data, it can be said that Piracetam and alcohol have different pharmacokinetics. That is, ethyl has a faster effect than a medication. In order for the pharmaceutical effect to be as fast, it must be injected intravenously or intramuscularly.

Can I take medicine after alcohol?

After analyzing consumer reviews, we can say that Piracetam helps to cope with a hangover.

This condition is a consequence of:

  • Overexcitation of the National Assembly;
  • dehydration;
  • disturbed electrolyte balance;
  • venous cerebral stasis.

If the intensity of a hangover symptom is insignificant, you can not resort to special actions to eliminate it. Accelerate this process will help a cold shower, compress, taking brine or acidified water. Abundant drinking and the use of absorbents can contribute to the removal of ethanol.

Piracetam has a positive effect on brain activity. You can take 1200 mg per day.

A medication will help increase dopamine levels in the brain, which will improve:

  • memory;
  • spatial orientation;
  • visual acuity.

But it is worth considering that taking Piracetam to neutralize a hangover can provoke the development of negative phenomena and greatly aggravate the well-being of the victim. Particles of alcohol still present in the body can significantly increase the intensity of these side effects.

Piracetam Against Alcoholism

To remove a hangover after a long hangover, you need a course intake of Piracetam. The drug is able to reduce the patient's dependence on alcohol-containing drinks. Long-term therapy requires individual dosing, in which its combination with other complex treatment drugs will be taken into account. So that the administration of Piracetam is not accompanied by side effects, the dosage should be selected by a qualified specialist.

Contraindications, side effects and overdose

Piracetam has a relatively small but serious list of contraindications.

They are forbidden to treat patients who:

  • recently suffered a hemorrhagic stroke;
  • suffer from hypersensitivity to one of the components of the drug;
  • suffer from hereditary chorea;
  • have a baby;
  • under 12 months old.

In case of emergency, the drug is prescribed to patients who suffer from:

  • severe bleeding;
  • chronic renal failure;
  • impaired hemostasis.

Also in this category are people who have had surgery. For each patient, the dosage of the drug and the duration of use are set individually.

As practice shows, this nootropic drug is well tolerated by patients.

But some patients noted that treatment with Piracetam provoked the development of:

  • irritability;
  • confusion of consciousness;
  • drowsiness / insomnia;
  • hallucinations;
  • tremor of limbs;
  • increased sex drive;
  • headaches.

The abuse of Piracetam 400 mg can provoke:

  • decrease in pressure in the arteries;
  • the appearance of dermatitis and severe rash;
  • a sharp increase in body weight;
  • exacerbation of diseases of the CVD;
  • bouts of nausea and vomiting;
  • upset stool.

Analogues of the drug in tablets and injections

If the patient cannot be treated with Piracetam, the doctor must prescribe a suitable substitute for him.

Their list is presented:

  • Lucetam
  • Stamina;
  • The pyramid;
  • Cerebral;
  • Memotropilom;
  • Escotropyl;
  • Thiocetam;
  • Nootropil;
  • Piracetam-Vialom;
  • Noofen;
  • Aminalon;
  • Cortexin;
  • Fezamom.

The above analogs of Piracetam may not give such a good result as the "original".

Despite the effectiveness of Piracetam, it should be taken only by medical prescription. Otherwise, he is able to greatly aggravate the condition of the patient.

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