(Newswire.net — November 24, 2021) —
(Newswire.net –
The same drugs are often available in different forms, and it is easy to get confused. However, doctors urge us not to make the mistake of thinking that one form is more effective than another.
The culture imposes on us the opinion that pills, of all kinds and kinds, are the best there can be. A panacea for all diseases. Think at least of the movie “Limitless”, where pills not only cure mental pain and depression but also give superpowers, allowing not only to understand the language from the first hearing but also to radically change lives. This is nothing more than a fantasy on the subject – it is as possible as winning a billion dollars on the first try just when you visit this betting site or any other gambling establishment.
In today’s piece, we tell you what the difference between the two is and why taking a shot is not always healthier than taking medicine.
Hitting the Bull’s-Eye
The main thing for any dosage form is to help the therapeutic substance get to the right place at the right time. And in every group of drugs, the best form is the one that provides maximum effect combined with minimal side effects. Unfortunately, many substances once in the body do not behave the way pharmacologists would like them to. Some of them undergo undesirable biochemical transformations, others are absorbed too quickly or, on the contrary, too slowly.
The hardest part is getting to the bull’s-eye, that is, the effect of drugs only on the receptors of the diseased organ. For example, a drug that is prescribed for a stomach ulcer, ideally, should act only on the wound itself, and not “smear” over the entire mucous membrane.
In terms of speed of absorption, and therefore action, the fastest are intravenous injections, sublingual tablets, suppositories, and inhalations. When rapid, single-step action is needed, it is these forms that are prescribed. Tablets and capsules start with a longer delay.
Sometimes you need to maintain a certain concentration of the drug in the blood for quite a long time, and sometimes you need a powerful short-term effect. Depending on this, there are drugs with different drug release rates.
Going the Rounds
In some cases, the medication must bypass some organs to get to its destination. For example, all kinds of ointments and gels enter the bloodstream through the skin, bypassing the liver. This significantly reduces the toxic effects of drugs on the body.
But still, more than 80% of all drugs on the market are drugs that enter our body through the gastrointestinal tract, the so-called enteric forms.
Often the drug needs to be protected from the transformations that happen to it in the stomach and duodenum. There, under the influence of gastric and pancreatic juices, as well as bile, the drug can be destroyed or severely modified. To prevent this from happening, the pill is hidden in a shell, which dissolves only in the intestine.
The Secret of Successful Treatment
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Whatever form of medication you are prescribed, there are rules without which it is difficult to achieve the desired effect. Here are just a few of them.
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If you do not know how to wash down a particular medicine, wash it down with 100 ml of boiled water.
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Do not drink milk, tea, or coffee with your tablets, unless specifically mentioned in the prescription or package leaflet.
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The coated tablets should never be crushed or chewed unless this is specifically mentioned in the prescription.
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Medicinal syrups are extra sugar, dyes, and flavorings. If there is a similar drug in tablets, it is better to give preference to it.
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Apply the ointment in the thinnest possible layer (that is how much is needed for the full therapeutic effect), otherwise, most of it will be wasted.
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Injections are usually a forced measure. If for some reason injections are not suitable for you, talk to your doctor about the use of other dosage forms.
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After injecting suppositories into the rectum, you need to lie down for 10-20 minutes, and the child should clasp the ass with his hand – so that the medicine is not on the outside.
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Do not be afraid to give alcohol tinctures to children: there is very little alcohol, but most of them are prepared on a natural plant basis and, as a rule, do not give any side effects.
The Еendency of the World
All over the world, there is a steady trend to reduce the number of injections. After all, injections are not only a psychological discomfort but also a significant health risk: a reaction at the injection site, the risk of infection, the possibility of injecting an unnecessary drug by mistake, puncture of a vessel, damage to nerve trunks.
However, sometimes injections are necessary. There are situations in which the need for injecting drugs does not cause anyone to doubt:
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Emergency conditions in which an immediate therapeutic effect is needed – “at the tip of the needle;
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severe diseases in which the absorption of drugs from the stomach and intestines is sharply reduced;
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inability to take medication by mouth, e.g. when unconscious, vomiting is uncontrollable or swallowing is impaired;
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It is the only possible way of administering medication to the body – it is not absorbed in the digestive tract or is destroyed by gastric juice.
In these cases, treatment is likely to be given in a hospital. And this is a different story. At home, injectable medications must give way to a less traumatic and dangerous method of administration – tablets, syrups, and suppositories.