Universal antibiotic for sore throat

Acute tonsillitis is a serious illness that can lead to unwanted complications. In everyday life, this infectious disease is known as tonsillitis. The most pronounced are the local symptoms of tonsillitis, but the disease requires complex treatment with antibiotics. One of the most common options is Augmentin for sore throat. I prescribe it to both adults and children. But how versatile is it? Are there many side effects from taking it? How effective is the medicine? We will try to figure this out.

Augmentin: main characteristics of the drug

Augmentin is one of the most common antibiotics prescribed for viral diseases. This is primarily due to the wide spectrum of action of the drug.

Augmentin is prescribed for the treatment of bacterial infections that arise due to the activity of microorganisms sensitive to the drug. Most often, Augmentin is used to combat infectious diseases of the upper respiratory tract, abscesses, infections of the genitourinary tract, skin, pelvic organs, sepsis and postoperative infections. There are two main substances that make up the medicine. These are amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. The first substance is a powerful antibiotic, which is part of the penicillin class, the second is a beta-lactamase inhibitor. It is the combination of these two substances that makes Augmentin a universal drug.

Composition of the drug and its spectrum of action

The active component of the antibacterial agent is semisynthetic penicillin - amoxicillin, clavulanic acid salts.

The medicine is presented in the following forms:

tablets of 250, 500 and 875 milligrams;
powder 125, 200 and 250 milliliters;
ampoules for intravenous injections.

Augmentin for sore throat promotes the rapid entry of active ingredients into the patient’s blood to destroy bacteria. The drug is excreted by the kidneys, so when prescribing Augmentin for a sore throat, the doctor asks the patient whether he has any chronic kidney diseases.

Each tablet always contains 125 mg of clavulanic acid

The duration of taking the drug should be from one week to two (in case of complications). As can be seen in the photos and videos, the dosage and release forms of the medicine may be different.

The form of Augmentin can be tablets (625 mg or 1 g). Each tablet contains a different concentration of amoxicillin but the same amount of clavulanic acid (125 mg). At a dosage of 625 mg, the drug is indicated for patients with tonsillitis; if complications occur, a more concentrated Augmentin (1 g) is prescribed. Used 2 times a day before meals.

If sore throat occurs in children, then pediatricians can prescribe powder for injection, from which they make a suspension with their own hands and administer it intravenously. When prescribing injections to a child, you should try to register him for inpatient treatment so that the procedures are performed by qualified specialists. Augmentin should be administered slowly over several minutes or in a dropper (in case of problems with the gastrointestinal tract).

Augmentin is a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. Its analogues are: Amoxiclav, Amoklav, Flemoklav, etc.

Amoxicillin is an antibiotic from the penicillin group that has a bactericidal effect against many microorganisms. The clavulanic acid contained in the drug makes it resistant to bacteria that can destroy regular amoxicillin. The combination of these two components allows Augmentin to be prescribed even for infections that are resistant to conventional antibiotics from the penicillin group.

Augmentin effectively fights gram-positive (streptococci, staphylococci, enterococci, etc.) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Proteus, etc.) microorganisms, which most often cause sore throat in adults.

For adults and children over 12 years of age, tablets are used:

At a dosage of 875 mg/125 mg (ratio of amoxicillin to clavulanic acid) for angina, 1 tablet 2-3 times a day.
At a dosage of 500 mg/125 mg, 1 tablet 3 times a day.

For children under 12 years of age, the drug is produced in the form of a fruit-flavored suspension. Injection forms and other dosages of Augmentin are practically not used for angina.

Treatment for adults

Augmentin for angina in adults and children over 12 years of age is prescribed as follows.

The maximum period of taking the drug should not exceed 14 days.
In case of severe form of the disease, Augmentin is taken 3 times a day, 1 tablet weighing 674 grams, or injections are given every 6 to 8 hours. The maximum daily injection dose is 7.2 grams, the maximum single dose is 1.2 grams.
In case of moderate illness, the drug is prescribed in the form of tablets 325 grams 3 times a day.
The drug should be taken before meals.
Augmentin is a powerful antibiotic, so its use is strictly not recommended without consultation and prescription from a doctor.

The dosage of the drug does not depend on the gender of the patient. However, it can be changed by a doctor depending on body weight. This is especially true for children under 12 years of age, as well as people who are overweight or underweight.

Contraindications for use

Augmentin is not used for angina in adults if there are contraindications:

allergy to penicillin antibiotics or specifically to Augmentin;
problems with the kidneys, due to which excretion through urine may be difficult, which will lead to the accumulation of Augmentin in the body and an overdose , which will become an additional problem with angina;
problems with the liver, due to which the conversion of Augmentin into breakdown products will be difficult, which again will lead to an overdose;
the period immediately after the end of treatment for an infectious disease, when the body is still too weak to process the antibiotic;
the first trimester of pregnancy, in which the basic systems of the child’s body are formed, and even a small dose of an antibiotic can negatively affect this process.

Augmentin should be prescribed with caution for angina in elderly people, those with a history of jaundice, those suffering from heart disease, and young children..

An incorrectly calculated dosage can lead to the development of side effects, so a doctor should prescribe the drug.

Treatment of children

For the treatment of sore throat in children, Augmentin is most often prescribed in the form of a powder for making syrup. To do this, you need to dilute the powder with boiling water in the appropriate proportion for the child’s age category.

If the child is between 7 and 12 years old, then 250 mg of syrup is prescribed 3 times a day.
At the age of 2 to 7 years, take 125 mg 3 times a day.
If the child's age is from 9 months to 2 years, then 62.5 mg of syrup is prescribed 3 times a day.
Intravenous injection is prescribed to each child individually depending on age and body weight. So, on average, 30 mg of augmentin is prescribed per 1 kg of body weight, every 6-8 hours. However, the dosage may vary.

Treatment of children with antibiotics is an issue that requires a serious approach, especially when it comes to the youngest age category. The immunity of a child who is not yet two years old is very weak and is easily susceptible to the destructive effects of antibiotics. That is why it is important not only to consult with a doctor, but also to strictly follow the instructions for taking Augmentin, in no case exceed the single or daily dosage, and interrupt the course of treatment if side effects occur.

Doses

There are two main forms of Augmentin release:

Pills. They are used primarily for the treatment of sore throat in adults; they may contain different ratios of active ingredients. They should not be separated, otherwise the protective shell is destroyed and the effectiveness of the drug decreases. They are most often used as a tablet twice a day - but dose changes are also possible if required by the patient’s condition or health characteristics .
Suspension. Augmentin for sore throat in children is most often used in this form - it is considered safer, and it is easier for a small child to take it than a large tablet. The daily dosage will be determined individually by the pediatrician - the antibiotic is too dangerous to be taken thoughtlessly.

In order for the suspension to be well absorbed, you need to prepare and drink it correctly.

Side effects of the antibiotic

Treatment with Augmentin for sore throat in adults is usually not characterized by side effects. Negative reviews often occur among parents of young children under 2 years of age. Sometimes there are disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract or allergic diseases.

However, side effects can also occur in adults. Possible complications include the following:

Disturbances in the digestive system. These include nausea, vomiting, and dyspepsia. Less common are hepatitis, jaundice, colitis or abnormal liver function.
Allergic reaction of the body. Urticaria, erythema, candidiasis, Quincke's edema, anaphylactic shock, and dermatitis may occur.
Local reactions. In very rare cases, phlebitis may develop at the injection site.

It is worth noting that Augmentin rarely causes side effects. They are possible only in young children or adults who are sensitive to the components of the drug, as well as in case of overdose.

It is especially important that taking antibiotics is not recommended for women during pregnancy and lactation. In this case, you can take Augmentin only if it is a last resort prescribed by your doctor.

Contraindications and side effects

Augmentin is contraindicated in the following cases:

manifestation of allergic reactions to any of the components of the antibiotic;
allergy to penicillin drugs;
chronic kidney pathologies (however, in such cases, on the recommendation of a doctor, you can take the drug in small quantities, which can be eliminated by the affected kidneys);
liver dysfunction;
first trimester of pregnancy and lactation period;
recovery after treatment of diseases caused by viral infections.

In other cases, the antibiotic is well tolerated by patients, and only in some cases certain side effects may occur.
These may include rashes of allergic origin on the skin and angioedema, bloating, indigestion, thrombophlebitis (occurs at the sites where the drug is injected), nausea and vomiting, dizziness, and sleep disturbances.

Remember! Typically, such effects are temporary, but if such consequences are observed every time after using an antibiotic, you must notify your doctor, who will select a different antibiotic.

As with any other antibiotic, when treated with Augmentin, the development of dysbiosis is possible , since such drugs destroy all microflora, including those that contribute to the digestion of food and the breakdown of stomach contents.

In this regard, in parallel augmentin treatment, it is recommended to take probiotics (for example, Linex) or drink yoghurt, kefir and other fermented milk products.

Compatibility with other drugs

Augmentin is not recommended to be taken together with probenecid, allopurinol, or whey protein hydrolysers. If we are talking about probenecid, then mixing augmentin with it will lead to a decrease in the effectiveness of the drug. Augmentin with allopurinol will increase the risk of an allergic reaction.

In addition, it is important to consider that Augmentin reduces the effectiveness of combined contraceptive drugs taken orally.

Drinking alcohol during treatment will make the course ineffective, since the effect of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid on the body is eliminated.