"Calzigard Retard": instructions for use, analogues and reviews

"Kalzigard Retard" (INN "Nifedipin") is a blocker of calcium channels and is characterized by antianginal and hypotensive pharmacological action.

The drug shows high effectiveness in the fight against hypertension, vasospastic and stable angina, Reynaud's syndrome and other heart diseases. The agent is able to improve coronary blood flow, without inhibiting the conductivity of the myocardium.

Calzigard Retard: description and composition

The drug is available in the form of tablets, coated with a film membrane.

As the main active substance, it contains nifedipine. In addition, the preparation "Calzigard Retard" (photo packaging was provided above) includes such auxiliary components as:

• Tween 80;
• starch;
• Magnesium stearate;
• Polyethylene glycol;
• MCC;
• Stearic acid;
• lactose;
• Sodium lauryl sulfate.

Tablets are in blisters for 10 pieces. In this case, the pack can contain from 3 to 10 blisters.

The shelf life of the product is three years. Keep it in a sun-protected and dry place at a temperature of up to 30 degrees.

Indications for use

Tablets "Calzigard Retard" can be prescribed for use:

• For relief of anginal attacks;
• At crises of hypertonic type;
• With Raynaud's syndrome;
• During hypertension of arterial type;
• With ischemic disease;
• For the prevention of angina attacks;
• During hypertrophic cardiomyopathy;
• With pulmonary hypertension ;
• During bronchoobstructive syndrome ;
• In the presence of pain in the heart.

Dosing and Administration

How correctly to take "Calzigard Retard"? Instruction for use warns that the necessary dosage of the drug should be selected by the doctor individually in each case. It will depend on the type and nature of the course of the disease, as well as the possible characteristics of the patient's body.

As a rule, treatment begins with taking the minimum dose of the drug: 10 mg 3 or 4 times a day. If there is a need in the future, it can be increased 2 times. But this decision is made only by the attending physician.

At the time of occurrence of some serious diseases, for example, severe form of arterial hypertension or variant angina pectoris, a single dose for some time may increase to 30 mg, while the frequency of reception will remain the same.

"Calzigard Retard" should be eaten inside, washed down with a small amount of water. But there are also situations that can be considered an exception to this rule. For example, for the relief of a hypertensive crisis, sublingual administration of the drug is envisaged (putting the pill under the tongue). And to eliminate the attack of angina, an option of intravenous administration of 5 mg every 4-8 hours is possible.

It is important to adhere to the maximum prescribed daily dose of the medicine, in order to avoid manifestations of unforeseen reactions of the body. When ingested, it is up to 120 mg, and with intravenous administration - up to 30 mg.

Contraindications for use

There are situations when "Calzigard Retard" (20 mg) is categorically contraindicated for use. These include cases of having a patient:

• Hypersensitivity to the active substance and other constituents of the drug;
• Acute myocardial infarction (first 8 days);
• Severe arterial hypotension;
• Cardiogenic shock;
• Tachycardia;
• Heart failure in the stage of decompensation;
• Severe aortic stenosis;
• Collapse.

In addition, the drug can not be used to treat pregnant women. If there is a need for treatment with this medication during lactation, breastfeeding should be stopped.

The safety and efficacy of the drug in children have not been determined. Therefore, it is worthwhile to refrain from its appointment to patients under the age of 18 years.

special instructions

"Kalzigard Retard" with special caution should be given to patients with impaired renal function or if they have diabetes. For the elderly, a reduction in the daily dose is provided.

During the entire treatment period, complete abstinence from alcohol is necessary.

The drug is able to slightly slow down the psychomotor reactions, so its use should be approached with extreme caution to people who, for example, drive vehicles.

Completion of treatment with the drug should occur gradually to avoid the appearance of "withdrawal syndrome".

Side effects

The use of "Kalzigard Retard" tablets can cause many side effects. Some of them occur quite often, while the emergence of others occurs in one case from a thousand, or even less.

1. From the senses and the nervous system: headaches, dizziness. Rarely application of the drug can provoke a state of deafness, changes in visual perception, limb disorders, paresthesia, the appearance of problems with sleep.
2. From the musculoskeletal system: it is extremely rare to have tremor or myalgia.
3. From the cardiovascular system: tachycardia, increased heart rate, hyperemia of the face and skin, accompanied by a feeling of heat, peripheral edema. Rarely can there occur the appearance of leukopenia, anemia, asystole, thrombocytopenic purpura, thrombocytopenia, hypotension, pain similar to angina pectoris.
4. On the part of the digestive tract: often there are constipation. Less often - vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, heartburn. Very rarely, the result of taking the drug may be intrahepatic cholestasis or gingival hyperplasia.
5. Allergic reactions: exanthema, hives, itching. Exfoliative dermatitis can rarely occur.
6. On the part of the respiratory system: in very rare cases, there is a spasm of the bronchi.
7. From the urinary system: the level of daily diuresis may increase. With prolonged use of the drug in large doses, there may be impairments in the functionality of the kidneys.
8. Others: at the beginning of treatment, redness and swelling of the legs and hands are often enough. Very rarely the agent can provoke hyperglycemia, gynecomastia, photodermatitis, burning at the injection site (with intravenous administration of the drug), an increase in the number of heartbeats.

Overdose

Exceeding the maximum permitted dose of the drug may cause bradyarrhythmias, bradycardia, arterial hypotension. Particularly severe cases involve a slowing of conduction, collapse.

In addition, signs of intoxication may appear after at least 3-4 hours in the form of loss of consciousness (in some cases, up to coma), hypoxia, cardiogenic shock, seizures, metabolic acidosis, hyperglycemia.

To get rid of the above symptoms, gastric lavage, activated charcoal and intravenous norepinephrine, calcium gluconate or calcium chloride in atropine solution are performed.

Interaction of the drug with other substances

Before applying any medication it is worthwhile to get acquainted not only with its composition, indications and contraindications to the application. An important point is its interaction with substances that can be part of other drugs or foods. After all, some can enhance the effect of the drug on the body, while others reduce it to nothing. The same applies to the drug "Calzigard Retard." It can both activate and block the action of certain substances. Consider this question in the form of brief theses:

• Ranitidine and cimetidine increase plasma levels;
• Diltiazem is able to slow down metabolism, and as a result, the dose of nifedipine must be reduced;
• Grapefruit juice (in large quantities) increases bioavailability;
• Diuretics, beta-adrenoblockers, nitrates, fentanyl, alcohol, tricyclic antidepressants - increase the hypotensive effect;
• Increases the bioavailability of cephalosporins (cefixime);
• Increases the effect of side effects vincristine (reduces excretion);
• Reduces renal clearance of digoxin, increases the activity of theophylline;
• It is incompatible with rifampicin (it speeds up biotransformation and does not allow creating effective concentrations).

Analogs means

Are there any means that can replace "Calzigard Retard"? Analogues, of course, there are. They can be similar to the main drug in terms of the composition (in particular, the active substance) or the type of action on the body. At the same time synonyms of the drug "Kalzigard Retard" have their own characteristics and differences. For example, it can be the form of release, the method and the number of applications, the maximum daily dose, and so on. Therefore, before you replace one drug with another, you need to consult a doctor.

So, the most famous analogues of the drug "Kalzigard Retard" are the following medicines:

• "Cordaflex".
• "Nifedex."
• "Nifedipine."
• "Fenamon".
• "Cordipin".
• "Kordafen"
• "Nifelat."
• "Fenigidine."
• Adalat.
• "Nifecard."
• "Corinth".
• "Depin".

Reviews about the drug

What do patients say about Calzigard Retard? There are positive and negative reviews. It's worth starting with positive things.

First, patients note the high effectiveness of the drug and its wide enough spectrum of action.

Secondly, the very low price of the facility (from 50 to 300 rubles, depending on the size of the package) can not but rejoice.

The only thing that can be considered a significant disadvantage is the appearance of side effects in the form of headaches, nausea and so on. Although, as practice has shown, after reducing the dose of the drug, all of the above signs disappeared very quickly. Therefore, it is quite possible that the cause of the appearance of side effects was precisely the wrong reception.