What medications can be used for bronchitis

Composition of Amoxiclav and effect on bronchitis

The active component of the drug is amoxicillin. This is an antibacterial representative of the penicillin group, which is quite gentle in nature. Despite its effectiveness in combating pathogenic bacteria, it has a drawback. Namely, beta-lactamase, produced by certain types of microorganisms, significantly suppresses the beneficial activity of the substance.

To solve this problem, another component is added to the drug - clavulanic acid. It can not only have a destructive effect on beta-lactamase, but also additionally exerts bactericidal properties, and it also has a positive effect on the patient’s immune system.

The drug is appropriate to use in the presence of pathogens such as streptococcus, klebsiella, gardnerella, echinococcus and others.

Amoxiclav for bronchitis is successfully used both in chronic and acute manifestations. Its pharmacokinetics are as follows:

• When entering the body, the active substances penetrate into the main tissues and organs;
• The peak concentration of the drug in the body occurs one hour after administration;
• After three hours, the drug is completely eliminated through the renal system. A small percentage may be excreted by the intestines and lungs.

The product not only has an anti-inflammatory effect, but also promotes the discharge and removal of sputum from the bronchi.

Amoxiclav - release forms

Etiological factors

The main etiological factors for bronchitis are:

• ARVI (adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, parainfluenza viruses, influenza viruses, etc.);
• various allergens against the background of existing hypersensitivity;
• inhalation of harmful and toxic substances (vapors, gases, dust);
• fungi – candida, aspergillus, zygomycetes, etc.;
• conditionally pathogenic and pathogenic flora - streptococci, pneumococci, Haemophilus influenzae, mycoplasma, chlamydia, Klebsiella, etc.

In most cases, bronchitis develops against the background of acute respiratory viral infection, the pathogens of which are transmitted by airborne droplets. Therefore, contact with a patient with bronchitis may be complicated by the fact that a healthy person becomes ill. You can get infected from both children and adults. The main conditions for the development of the disease are the penetration of harmful microorganisms against the background of weakened immunity. Despite the immaturity of immunity in children, bronchitis often develops in adults.

Release form and dosage

The antibiotic can be found in pharmacies in various forms and concentrations. The doctor decides which type is best in each individual case. This is influenced not only by the nature of the disease, but also by the characteristics of the patient’s body, his age and weight.

Before using Amoxiclav, you should consult your doctor.

Pills

This is the most common form of medication. They are oval in shape and covered with a white shell.

Amoxiclav for bronchitis in adults and children over 12 years of age is most often prescribed in tablet form. In this case, the child’s body weight must be at least 40 kilograms. The method of application depends on the dosage of the active substance:

• Amoxiclav 375. Suitable for diseases at the initial and middle stages. Reception is carried out once within eight hours;
• Amoxiclav 625. Can be prescribed at all stages of bronchitis, but mainly at moderate and severe ones. The tablet is taken no more than once every eight hours;
• Amoxiclav 1000. Suitable for severe illness. The medication is taken in one dose with a break of twelve hours.

The tablets are taken before meals with a small amount of water.

Amoxiclav tablets

Another type of drug in this release form is Amoxiclav Quiktab tablets. This type has a fruity taste and is prescribed to adults and children aged 12 years and older. Reception is carried out according to the following scheme:

• 625 mg. Prescribed for mild to moderate stages of the disease, one tablet twice a day;
• 975 mg. During the severe stage, it is also used one dose twice a day.

Quiktab is dissolved in the mouth, then washed down, or dissolved in a glass of drinking water.

Powder

Powder for parenteral use is used in cases of complex bronchitis or an emerging threat to the patient's life. It is prescribed only for adults and children at least 12 years of age. The effect of this form of release is faster than in others.

It is used in two ways:

• Intravenous injections. 600 mg of the drug is diluted with 10 ml of water for injection;
• Droppers. The drug is diluted similarly to the first method, but an additional 50 ml of infusion solution is added.

Regardless of the form of release, Amoxiclav is not recommended for use for bronchitis for longer than 14 days for the reason that its beneficial effect begins to gradually decrease.

Stages of the disease

It must be said that the total duration and duration of each stage of the disease depends on three factors:

• the patient’s condition (how weakened his immune defense is);
• age (child, adult, elderly);
• availability of treatment (the main thing is not to wait until everything goes away on its own).

Another factor follows from the last point - how to treat the disease. What medications to take for bronchitis for children and adults is decided only by the doctor after an examination. Here, not only the type and form of bronchitis is taken into account, but also the age category of the patient. Most often, tablets, syrups and other oral forms are used in the treatment of pathology, as well as inhalation using a nebulizer or special inhalers.

In the acute form of bronchitis, four stages of the disease are distinguished:

1. Infection phase.
2. Consolidation phase. If a person has a weakened immune system, then infectious agents penetrate the upper respiratory tract and take hold there.
3. Symptom severity phase. The patient has a pronounced clinical picture (severe cough, abundance of sputum, etc.).
4. Recovery phase. Gradually, the immune system and anti-bronchitis medications destroy pathogens, the severity of symptoms disappears, and the person recovers.

With the chronic form, everything is different; as a rule, the patient experiences alternating periods of exacerbation and remission. Treatment can only be aimed at reducing the severity of symptoms (antitussives, mucolytics, antipyretics, etc.). A patient with chronic bronchitis does not recover completely. Instead, the symptoms gradually fade away, only to reappear after some time.

Features of application

Despite the popularity of the drug, not everyone knows the specifics of how to take amoxiclav. The most important points are:

• If the tablet form is used, they should be taken before or during meals. This reduces the negative impact on the gastrointestinal tract;
• During treatment, it is prohibited to drink alcoholic beverages;
• The medicine is not suitable for combined use with Rifampicin. Otherwise, the beneficial effect of both medications is reduced;
• In the presence of anuria, doses are administered with a break of at least two days:
• If during treatment a woman uses preoral contraceptives, then she needs to know that their functions are significantly reduced;
• Used glucosamines and laxatives may reduce the absorption of the drug;
• The antibiotic should not be used in conjunction with anticoagulants.

Take an Amoxiclav tablet with a small amount of water.
These general recommendations will help you use the drug with maximum efficiency.

In children

For the treatment of children, the drug must be taken as prescribed by a doctor. The dosage must be strictly observed.

Amoxiclav for bronchitis in children under twelve years of age is usually prescribed in the form of a suspension. To prepare it, add 86 ml of purified water to the bottle with the powder in two additions, shaking the preparation thoroughly between them.

The dosage is calculated according to the following scheme:

• Under 3 months: 30 mg of the drug per 1 kg of body weight. The received dose is divided into two doses per day;
• Over 3 months: for mild forms of the disease - 20 mg of antibiotic per 1 kg of body weight. For severe forms - 40 mg of medication per 1 kg of body weight. The received dose is divided into three doses per day at equal intervals.

If the disease requires more active treatment, the doctor may prescribe a parenteral form of antibiotic use. The recommended dosage in this case is as follows:

• Up to 3 years: 30 mg of the drug per 1 kg of body weight twice a day;
• From 3 to 12 years: 30 mg of medication per 1 kg of body weight three times a day.

The dosage can be adjusted by your doctor.

If pregnant or nursing

The drug is not prohibited during pregnancy, but its use, like any other antibiotic, is undesirable during this period. If bronchitis develops with such intensity that it begins to threaten the life of a woman and her child, then its use is justified.

During lactation, a woman can use Amoxiclav to treat the disease, but during this period it is advisable to transfer the child to artificial feeding.

Antitussives

A popular group of drugs for bronchitis. This is the most “sweet” category, because manufacturers like to dilute tasteless medicine with sweet ingredients. There are three forms of release: syrup, caramel and tablets. The names of the drugs are different. The fact is that manufacturing companies are free to produce the product not according to the active substance, but according to their own trade name. Thus, Libexin is based on an active substance called prenoxdiazine, and the main substance of Codelac, Omnitus and Sinekoda is butamirate.

Antitussives are used against dry, obsessive, prolonged cough. They can reduce its severity or completely get rid of it. But they should be used with caution; this is one of the most dangerous groups of drugs. For example, they cannot be used for pneumonia, obstructive bronchitis and other diseases with copious sputum production. Antitussives can cause addiction, drowsiness, vomiting, constipation and a decrease in blood pressure.

Mucolytics

Mucolytics have a thinning effect on sputum. This leads to easier secretion. Representatives of this group are “Bromhexine”, “Ambroxol” (“Lazolvan”, “Ambrobene”), “Acetylcysteine” (“Fluimucil”), carbocisteine ​​(“Fluditek”). Medicines are available in the form of tablets, syrup, dragees and drops. The contraindications are as follows:

• cirrhosis of the liver;
• allergy;
• pulmonary hemorrhage;
• emphysema;
• pulmonary tuberculosis;
• infectious hepatitis;
• pancreatitis;
• decompensated heart failure.

Mucolytics can cause an allergic reaction to the drug, damage to the bronchial mucosa, hemoptysis, vomiting, nausea, heartburn, diarrhea or constipation.

Antipyretics

When the disease manifests itself in an acute form, many patients experience an increase in body temperature. To reduce the severity of this symptom, antipyretics are used. The simplest and most common representatives are Aspirin, Paracetamol, Analgin, Nurofen, Theraflu and Rinzasip. Medicines are available in the form of powder, suppositories and tablets.

They must be used when an adult and a child have a temperature above 38.5-39 degrees (with the exception of patients with neurological disorders). In children, ibuprofen (Nurofen) and paracetamol (Panadol) are mainly used. They can be used at lower body temperatures, but side effects should be taken into account:

• allergy;
• irritation of the gastric mucosa;
• brain damage;
• internal bleeding;
• deterioration of liver function;
• nausea;
• vomit.

Drugs from this group cannot be used for liver dysfunction, allergic reactions, alcoholism, diabetes mellitus and thyrotoxicosis. It should be mentioned that these contraindications are general and may vary depending on the drug. Therefore, before purchasing a medicine, you must read the instructions.

Side effects

Like any other antibiotic, Amoxiclav has a number of possible side effects when taken. These include:

• Diarrhea;
• Nausea and vomiting;
• Heartburn and bloating;
• Sleep disorders;
• Rash and redness of the skin;
• Migraines and dizziness.

As a rule, such reactions occur after using the drug and disappear immediately when it is removed from the body. In rare cases, candidiasis may occur while taking the drug.

Analogs

The doctor does not always prescribe Amoxiclav for bronchitis. He can choose one of its analogues. These include the following drugs:

• Augmentin. Almost a complete analogue, differing only in excipients. Augmentin is believed to have a milder effect;
• Sumamed. The active substance, azithromycin, has a great antibacterial effect. It is prescribed when representatives of the penicillin series are unable to cure bronchitis;
• Flemoxin. It differs from Amoxiclav in the absence of clavulanic acid, which means it has fewer indications;
• Suprax. It is successfully used for acute and chronic types of bronchitis.

Augmentin is a complete analogue of Amoxiclav.
Each of these medications has its own individual instructions. Your doctor will help you make the right choice. He will also determine the required dosage and how many days to take the drug.

Treatment

The best remedy for almost any disease is to strengthen the body. This is the well-known hardening, playing sports, consuming vitamins and foods beneficial to the body, etc. This approach will reduce the duration of treatment or avoid it altogether.

However, there is not always time and opportunity to strengthen the body. Therefore, if symptoms appear, you should consult a physician or pulmonologist (a doctor who specializes in diseases of the respiratory system) as soon as possible. After the examination and diagnosis, the specialist will tell you what medicine to take for bronchitis. You should not prescribe treatment for yourself, or especially for a child. This may lead to worsening of the condition or allergic reactions.

The treatment regimen depends on a number of factors:

• cause of illness;
• type of bronchitis;
• form of the disease;
• patient's age;
• stage of the disease.

The following groups of drugs are used to treat bronchitis:

• antibiotics, antiviral;
• expectorants, mucolytics, less often drugs that inhibit the cough reflex;
• bronchodilators (bronchodilators);
• inhaled, less often injectable glucocorticosteroids;
• antipyretic group of NSAIDs.

Antibiotics and antivirals

If the test results show that bronchitis is caused by bacteria (pneumococci, streptococci, etc.), it is necessary to treat the disease with antibiotics. If the reason lies in the penetration of a viral agent (influenza virus, parainfluenza, rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, etc.), then the patient is prescribed antiviral drugs.

Most often, antibiotics are prescribed from the penicillin family (Augmentin, Amoxicillin) or from the macrolide group (Sumamed, Clarithromycin). These drugs come in several forms: capsules, suspensions (solutions) and tablets. Dosages for children and adults differ significantly. In addition to their main function, antibiotics can worsen intestinal microflora and cause allergies. Contraindications include individual intolerance, renal and liver failure, as well as pregnancy and breastfeeding (for some groups of antibiotics).

Antiviral drugs also have several dosage forms: tablets, suppositories, drops and solutions. Representatives of antiviral drugs are Arbidol, Aflubin, Viferon. Such drugs have little evidence base, so you shouldn’t run to the pharmacy and thoughtlessly buy any antiviral drug you like. Such medications should be taken only as prescribed by a doctor and after an examination. Contraindications are the same as for antibiotics. The most justified is the prescription of rimantadine (Orvirem), oseltamivir for influenza.