Sumamed for a sore throat

The drug has a wide range of action. It is an azalide - an antibiotic from the macrolide category. Doctors recommend taking Sumamed for sore throat, as it can effectively combat any type of this disease. The antibiotic has a bactericidal effect on highly concentrated foci of inflammation.

[ 1 ]

Indications of sumameda for a sore throat

Among the indications for the use of the drug: inflammations of an infectious nature, provoked by bacterial strains sensitive to Sumamed. These are diseases of the upper respiratory tract - such as tonsillitis, etc.

When does Sumamed start to help with angina?

The effect of Sumamed in the treatment of angina begins quite quickly - relief of symptoms occurs after 1-2 doses of the drug, i.e. already on the 1st/2nd day.

[ 2 ], [ 3 ], [ 4 ]

Release form

The medicine is available in capsules or tablets (for adults) and suspension for syrup (for children). One package contains 3 or 6 tablets, and in capsule form - 6 pcs. The syrup is sold in a 100 ml bottle.

Pharmacodynamics

The active ingredient of Sumamed is azithromycin. The following gram-positive cocci are sensitive to this substance: pneumococcus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Streptococcus agalactiae, in addition to streptococci included in groups CF, as well as G, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus viridans. Gram-negative microorganisms are also sensitive: influenza bacillus, Moraxella catarrhalis, whooping cough bacillus and Bordetella parapertussis together with Haemophilus ducrei, Legionella pneumophila, Campylobacter jejuni, gonococcus and Gardnerella vaginalis. Among anaerobes, the following are sensitive: Clostridium perfringens and Bacteroides bivius with Peptostreptococcus spp. Azithromycin also affects chlamydia, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Ureaplasma urealyticum, pale treponema and Borrelia burgdoferi. However, azithromycin does not affect gram-positive microorganisms that are resistant to the substance erythromycin.

Pharmacokinetics

Azithromycin is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and is quite fast. This is due to the fact that the substance is lipophilic and resistant to acidic environments. When consuming 500 mg of azithromycin, the peak concentration in the blood plasma is reached after 2.5-2.96 hours (the rate is 0.4 mg/l). The bioavailability index is 37%.

Azithromycin effectively affects the respiratory system, as well as the urogenital system (including the prostate), soft tissues and skin. The increased concentration of the substance in tissues (10-50 times higher than in blood plasma), as well as its long half-life, are due to the fact that azithromycin binds poorly to plasma proteins. In addition, it is affected by the fact that it is able to penetrate into nuclear cells, accumulating in the low-acid environment surrounding lysosomes. As a result, the distribution volume reaches 31.1 l / kg and the clearance in plasma increases.

The fact that azithromycin can accumulate mostly in lysosomes is very important in the destruction of intracellular irritants. Azithromycin enters the areas of bacterial infection via phagocytes and is released there by phagocytosis. The substance accumulates mainly in inflammation foci (exceeds the concentration in healthy cells by 24-34% on average) in relation to the degree of swelling at the site of the lesion. Although azithromycin has a high accumulation rate in phagocytes, it does not significantly affect their functioning.

Bactericidal accumulations of the substance on the inflamed area remain for 5-7 days after the last dose, which made it possible to develop short (3-5 days) treatment courses.

Azithromycin is excreted from the blood plasma in 2 stages: the half-life is 14-20 hours with an interval of 8-24 hours after taking the drug and 41 hours with an interval of 24-72 hours, as a result of which Sumamed can be taken 1 time per day.

[ 5 ]

Dosing and administration

Adults with sore throat are prescribed Sumamed in courses of 5 or 3 days. With the first option, you need to take 500 mg of the drug on the first day, then reduce the dosage to 250 mg and take it in this amount for the remaining 4 days. With the second option, you should drink 500 mg for all 3 days (thus, the total dose for the course will be 1.5 g).

Sumamed for herpetic, follicular and purulent tonsillitis

The drug successfully copes with these forms of angina and can be prescribed to both adults and children.

[ 10 ]

Sumamed for sore throat in children

Infants under 6 months should be given a medicinal suspension. To make syrup from it, you need to dissolve 17 g of powder in 12 ml of water - the volume of liquid should be 23 ml. The bottle should be shaken well before use.

Children over 3 years of age are allowed to be given 125 mg tablets. The tablet dose of the medicine is calculated in the ratio of 10 mg/1 kg of the baby's weight.

In case of sore throat caused by the Streptococcus pyogenes virus, it is necessary to increase the dosage of Sumamed - 20 mg/kg for a 3-day treatment course or 12 mg/kg for a 5-day treatment course. In general, the child should drink 60 mg/kg of the medicine per course.

Use of sumameda for a sore throat during pregnancy

The use of drugs during pregnancy or breastfeeding is permitted only in exceptional cases, if the benefit from taking the drug outweighs the risk to the baby.

Contraindications

Among the contraindications:

• Intolerance to azithromycin, macrolides and other components of the drug;
• Severe impairment of renal function or severe liver failure;
• Capsules and tablets in a dosage of 500 mg - for children under 12 years old (weighing less than 45 kg), tablets in a dosage of 125 mg - for children under 3 years old, suspension - for a child under six months;
• Lactation period;
• Taken in combination with ergotamine or dihydroergotamine.

It should be prescribed with caution in cases of arrhythmia, kidney and liver dysfunction, and myasthenia.

[ 6 ]

Side effects of sumameda for a sore throat

Side effects of the drug develop very rarely. They mainly manifest themselves in the following form: vomiting with nausea and diarrhea, as well as flatulence or constipation. Appetite may also worsen, allergies may occur (skin rashes, urticaria, angioedema), sleep problems, anxiety, headaches, etc.

[ 7 ], [ 8 ], [ 9 ]

Overdose

In case of overdose, the patient may experience nausea with vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, liver problems, and temporary hearing loss.

[ 11 ], [ 12 ]

Interactions with other drugs

Antacids (including those containing magnesium and aluminum), as well as food and alcoholic beverages, significantly weaken the absorption of Sumamed, as a result of which the medicine should be taken separately from these substances and food (drink Sumamed at least 1 hour before meals or 2 hours after).

In addition, it is necessary to carefully combine the drug with antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants. In case of warfarin use, it is necessary to monitor prothrombin time. It is forbidden to drink Sumamed in combination with heparin.

[ 13 ]

Storage conditions

The medicine must be kept in a place inaccessible to children, protected from light and dry. Temperature conditions – within 15-25°С.

Shelf life

Tablets with capsules are allowed to be used for 3 years, powder for preparation of oral syrup – for 2 years. The prepared suspension can be stored for no more than 5 days.

Reviews

Sumamed for angina is a fairly popular and effective drug that is often prescribed to treat this disease. Reviews about it are left by both patients and doctors.

Tatyana: "As a medical professional, I would like to recommend not to abuse antibiotics, including Sumamed, although in most cases it is very effective. I advise using it only when other medications have not produced results. Like all antibiotics, the use of Sumamed is fraught with side effects, so before taking it, you should definitely consult a doctor. The advantages of this drug are its price, as well as the speed of action. A positive factor is that the drug only needs to be taken once a day, as a result of which it is difficult to forget about it or get confused about the number of doses."

Masha: “The medicine is really good, I have tested it myself. I got a sore throat, I was treated for 2 weeks without any results, after which the doctor prescribed me Sumamed. Since my illness was in an advanced stage, she prescribed taking it twice a day, although according to the instructions it is taken only once, and either before a meal (1 hour) or after it (2 hours later). My diet is not standardized, so I took the medicine 2 hours after eating. The doctor warned that if side effects occur, I would need to switch to the standard dose. But I did not have any problems, so I took the medicine twice a day. I recovered quite quickly.”

Nastya: "I have been convinced more than once that Sumamed is very effective for sore throat. Since I myself suffer from this disease quite often, I have tried many medications. When pus appeared, it was Sumamed that was the most effective. Considering that the duration of treatment with this drug is only 3 days, it can be considered the most suitable for quickly eliminating sore throat."