Validol is used to relieve pain in the heart area that occurs against the background of cardioneurosis. Doctors often recommend taking it during angina attacks, but only together with nitroglycerin. In addition, Validol has a good effect on seasickness, and is also used in the complex treatment of neurotic conditions.
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Validol contains two active ingredients - menthol and isovaleric acid. Isovaleric acid has a sedative, that is, a calming and reducing nervous tension effect. Menthol causes dilation of blood vessels, including coronary ones.
It is believed that Validol is a completely harmless product; it is often compared to ordinary mint tablets. This misconception is the main reason for the abuse of the drug, leading to overdose.
Mechanism of action of Validol
Poisoning with Validol is not the rarest case in clinical practice. This “harmless” drug is in every home medicine cabinet, and is usually taken when any discomfort occurs in the cardiac area. Although the range of its use is quite narrow, it is determined by the properties of the ingredients. The composition of Validol tablets is represented by menthol in a solution of menthylisovalerate, calcium stearate and sucrose.
Pharmacological actions of the drug:
- sedative, calming, suppression of anxiety and restlessness, elimination of neurotic conditions;
- moderate reflex vasodilator due to irritation of sensitive nerve roots;
- stimulation of the synthesis and release into the bloodstream of neurotransmitter hormones that regulate vascular permeability;
- moderate analgesic, manifested as a result of irritation by the active component of the receptors of the mucous membranes.
After resorption of the tablet, therapeutic effects are observed within 3 minutes and persist for several hours. The ingredients are metabolized by liver cells, after which they are excreted from the body in the urine.
Forecasts
From all of the above, it becomes clear that if you drink too much validol, the body will become intoxicated. Also, from the facts given in the text, we can draw a conclusion about the prognosis of validol poisoning.
In general, when used correctly, the drug does not pose a danger to life, and rare cases of overdose end safely. However, one should take into account the possibility of depression of the respiratory center in children, which can cause death in the absence of control and timely correction of the condition.
Indications for taking the drug Validol
The main indication for use of the drug is functional cardialgia. This is the name for pain in the heart area of organic origin, caused by developmental defects or anatomical defects. Validol is also effective for discomfort in the cardiac zone associated with disruption of the normal activity of the myocardium or nervous system.
Another common area of use of the drug is various neuroses . These are functional disorders of higher nervous activity of psychogenic origin. The symptoms of neuroses are varied:
- constant worry, fear, anxious expectation of something;
- panic disorders or panic attacks, phobias;
- instability of mood, sharp or frequent variability;
- irritability, tearfulness;
- high sensitivity to stress with reactions in the form of despair or aggression;
- sleep disorders: restless, superficial sleep that does not bring relief.
Treatment with Validol is carried out when these specific signs of neuroses are detected in the patient. It is usually combined in therapeutic regimens with other pharmacological drugs or dietary supplements.
Info! Validol is indicated for people prone to motion sickness in transport - water, air, land. Pre-dissolving the tablet helps to avoid attacks of nausea and dizziness.
Contraindications for use
An absolute contraindication to Validol therapy is individual intolerance to the ingredients, including auxiliary ones. For example, the tablets contain sucrose, which should be taken into account by patients with diabetes. And the capsules contain gelatin and glycerol, so they are contraindicated for people with hypersensitivity to them. Any dosage form cannot be used in childhood or adolescence.
The simultaneous use of alcohol and Validol is strongly not recommended. In this case, some inhibition may be observed. In such cases, you need to avoid performing work that requires increased concentration and driving vehicles.
Validol during breastfeeding and childbearing is prescribed only if safer means are ineffective.
Causes of Validol overdose
If you eat a lot of Validol tablets, severe poisoning is possible. Due to disruption of the regulatory functions of the brain, the functioning of almost all human life systems is disrupted. The maximum possible number of tablets used during the day is 10. A dose of medication above this norm is no longer beneficial, but is harmful to health. A fatal outcome has not yet been observed in clinical practice, but this does not mean that it cannot happen.
Possible causes of overdose are different:
- inappropriate use of Validol without a preliminary examination by a cardiologist and a specific diagnosis;
- forgetfulness of older people, especially those suffering from mental disorders;
- use of an expired drug whose ingredients have become toxic;
- chewing and (or) swallowing tablets and capsules instead of dissolving in the mouth.
Validol has a rather specific taste, but it cannot be called unpleasant. This is a sweet medicine that leaves a pleasant freshness in the mouth after consuming it. Its taste is reminiscent of candies, lozenges, caramel with menthol. It is for them that small children take tablets with a glossy shiny surface. After swallowing ten pieces, children always overdose.
Important information! A conventionally lethal dose of Validol is considered to be 30 tablets taken at the same time. This amount varies depending on the age of the victim and his general health.
Dosage
Validol is a common remedy with the effect of vasodilation. It is produced in three varieties: in blisters of flat-cylindrical sublingual tablets, in ampoules, in bottles with drops. A Validol tablet contains 60 milligrams of 25% menthol dissolved in isovaleric acid. The medicine is sold in pharmacies over the counter at a low price, which means it is easy to purchase for a person of any income.
The main effect is a decrease in pain sensitivity; other types of pharmacological effects include improving blood circulation and calming the central nervous system.
If the drug is in tablets, to prevent an attack of pain, a dose of the drug is placed sublingually and dissolved. The patient should notice the effectiveness of the drug quickly (within 5-7 minutes).
The drug is used for:
- Acute stressful conditions;
- Manifestations of a neurotic nature;
- Angina pectoris;
- Motion sickness during flights and seasickness.
The dosage for a person weighing more than 40 kilograms involves taking 60-120 milligrams of the active substance (two tablets are enough to relieve pain), the daily dosage is 180-240 milligrams (3-4 tablets). The instructions indicate that it is possible to increase the daily dose to 600 milligrams. The course of taking tablets is a week.
If the drug is taken in the form of drops, 4-5 drops of liquid are taken regardless of food consumption, dissolved along with a piece of sugar. The multiplicity is due to the therapeutic effect.
It turns out that validol does not have strict restrictions on taking it, and this can provoke cases of exceeding the dose of the drug. But it is important to know that indicators for validol intake rates have been developed. You should not take more than six hundred milligrams of the substance. If you take more than ten tablets of 0.06 g each, an overdose of validol will occur. The number of tablets should not exceed 10 pieces.
Symptoms of Validol poisoning
After a person eats Validol in excess, symptoms of poisoning appear gradually. At the initial stage, only neurological disorders appear; often the person simply falls asleep. But soon his physical well-being deteriorates.
Typical symptoms of a Validol overdose are:
- a sharp decrease in blood pressure to dangerous levels;
- cardiac dysfunction, manifested by a thready pulse, slow heartbeat;
- severe headaches;
- dizziness, loss of coordination of movements, unsteadiness of gait;
- nausea turning into vomiting;
- excessive salivation, lacrimation;
- change in taste perception;
- twitching of individual muscle groups;
- trembling of fingers and toes, less often - convulsions;
- lethargy, severe drowsiness, apathy;
- psycho-emotional instability due to a lack of understanding of what is happening.
A characteristic sign of an overdose is shortness of breath, a feeling of lack of air when inhaling . Visual disturbances are somewhat less common: flashing black dots and colored circles before the eyes, blurriness of objects near and far.
First aid for an overdose of Validol
It is necessary to induce vomiting when taking the drug orally. You need to give the person to drink a lot (about a liter) of warm water, to which several crystals of potassium permanganate have been added. Since exceeding the dose almost always leads to a drop in blood pressure, it is advisable to increase it, but not with medication. Strong, sweet and hot black tea will do the job perfectly. Green varieties are not suitable due to their pronounced hypotonic effect.
Doctor's advice! An overdose may be accompanied by allergic reactions, the leading symptoms of which are swelling and redness of the skin, rash and itching. In this case, the victim should be given Zodak in drops or tablets, Tavegil, Suprastin.
Side effects
Validol belongs to the group of drugs, the occurrence of side effects, if the recommended standards are observed, is minimized. The medicine can cause nausea, dizziness, pain in the temporal region, and increased production of tears. In such a situation, I stop taking Validol, after which they consult a doctor to adjust the course of therapy.
During pregnancy, Validol is taken only as directed, but in most cases, being in an interesting position prohibits taking the medicine. Menthol can cause contraction of the muscle fibers of the uterus, which can lead to miscarriage.
Taking the drug can cause a woman’s blood pressure to decrease, which is also dangerous. Long-term use of Validol can cause an increase in histamine, which leads to an exacerbation of allergic reactions.
Treatment for intoxication with Validol
There is no specific antidote for Validol. Medical care measures depend on the method of taking the drug. If a person dissolved the tablets, then gastric lavage is absolutely useless - the ingredients penetrated into the systemic bloodstream, bypassing the digestive tract.
Doctors focus on the clinical picture of an overdose:
- if there is an allergic component, antihistamines are prescribed;
- when blood pressure drops, hypertensive drugs are used, for example, tincture of Eleutherococcus;
- For respiratory disorders, respiratory analeptics are used.
Diuretics must be included in therapeutic regimens. Accelerating urination helps to quickly cleanse the body of Validol.
Precautionary measures
Precautionary measures include careful use of the drug during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Possibility of use and dosage are prescribed by the attending physician.
Treatment experience and effects on pediatric patients have not been recorded.
Other adverse reactions:
- Possible inhibition of attention processes; it is recommended to use the medicine with caution if it is necessary to drive a vehicle. There is a feeling of fatigue, drowsiness, fatigue.
- Select forms of the medicine contain sugar, which should be taken into account by diabetics.
- Tearing.
An overdose is sometimes accompanied by allergies and urticaria.
First aid for a person with an overdose does not involve measures to lavage the stomach, since the drug usually dissolves under the tongue, the active substance almost does not enter the digestive tract, but is quickly absorbed. If the tablets are taken orally, you need to induce vomiting by offering to drink five hundred milliliters of water. This method of gastric lavage is contraindicated for children under three years of age. Drinking plenty of fluids will help remove the substance in the urine. Antihistamines are indicated for people who have developed an allergic reaction to validol.
Consequences of poisoning
The main consequences of an overdose of Validol include digestive and peristalsis disorders.
Within a week, the victim complains of loss of appetite, heartburn, sour belching, and flatulence. Such symptoms are reversible and disappear after treatment. The danger of the resulting consequences depends on how many tablets the victim took. So, a small child may experience respiratory arrest and heart failure. This is also true for weakened patients suffering from severe chronic pathologies.
Possibility of toxemia
An overdose of validol is very rare, because the medication is low-toxic. Tablets are usually taken in large quantities if there is no obvious effect from taking therapeutic norms. What usually happens during myocardial infarction. Therefore, the outcome resulting from validol poisoning is very often combined with symptoms of impaired coronary blood supply.
This medication is taken sublingually (absorption). The cold nerve endings of the receptors are located in the sublingual part. Irritated by menthol, they reflexively release biologically active substances into the bloodstream. The latter have different effects on the body and can lead to menthol poisoning.
Tablets are intended for resorption
