"Amoxiclav" is in demand for many infectious diseases, because this antibiotic has a wide spectrum of activity and good tolerance. It is available in several dosage forms, among which a suspension is most often chosen for children, but sometimes tablets are also used.
Composition and form of release
The basis of the tablet form "Amoxiclav" are two compounds. The main one is amoxicillin trihydrate, since it is this component that provides the antibacterial effect of the drug. The dosage of such a substance in one tablet is 250 or 500 mg. It is supplemented by potassium clavulanate, a source of clavulanic acid. In all tablets "Amoxiclav" such acid is presented in a dosage of 125 mg.
The tablets themselves are oval, convex on both sides. They have a dense white shell made of titanium dioxide, ethyl cellulose, hypromellose, macrogol 6000, and diethyl phthalate. In the core of the drug, in addition to the active compounds, there is MCC, croscarmellose sodium, silicon dioxide, talc and magnesium stearate.
The medicine with a lower dosage (375 mg of active substances) is sold in glass bottles of 15, 20 or 21 tablets. A medication containing amoxicillin at a dose of 500 mg is packed in blisters of 5 or 7 pieces, and one pack contains 10, 14 or 15 tablets. Also on sale you can find glass bottles, inside which there are 15 tablets with a dosage of 500 mg + 125 mg.
In addition, the tableted "Amoxiclav" is produced with an increased dosage of amoxicillin - 875 mg per tablet. This preparation is also white in color, but differs in an elongated convex shape. On one side of such a medicine there is an inscription "AMC", and on the other you can see the numbers "875" and "125". The package of such "Amoxiclav" includes 10-14 tablets, placed in blisters of 5-7 pieces.
In addition to tablets, the manufacturer "Amoxiclav" also offers another solid form of the drug in a shell - dispersible tablets. Since they are able to dissolve quickly after contact with water, this medication is called "Amoxiclav Kviktab". These tablets have an octagonal shape, yellow color and a fruity smell.
Amoxicillin in dissolving tablets is contained in a dosage of 500 mg or 875 mg, and the amount of clavulanic acid, as in coated tablets, is 125 mg, regardless of the dosage of the antibiotic. Among the auxiliary ingredients of "Amoxiclava Kviktab" there are aspartame, castor oil, yellow iron oxide, flavors and other substances (for a more precise composition, see the table in the paper annotation). The drug is packed in blisters of 2 tablets and is sold in 5 or 7 blisters in one pack.
Action and indications
Due to the presence in the composition of amoxicillin, "Amoxiclav" has an antimicrobial effect on a fairly large list of microorganisms. The second active component present in the tablets prevents the inactivation of the antibiotic by enzymes that produce microbes (they are called beta-lactamases). This allows the drug to act even on those bacteria that do not die under the influence of only amoxicillin.
The medicine helps to destroy pneumococci, staphylococci, clostridia, klebsiella, meningococcus, protea, shigella and many other pathogens. It is prescribed for an infectious process of different localization - in the respiratory organs, biliary tract, paranasal sinuses, urinary tract, bones, and so on.
Is it prescribed in childhood?
"Amoxiclav" in the form of coated tablets can be given to children over 12 years old. The use of the drug "Amoxiclav Kviktab" is also allowed from the age of 12, with the proviso that the patient's body weight should be over 40 kg.
If the child weighs less or is not yet 12 years old, it is recommended to use a suspension that is prescribed from birth.
Contraindications
"Amoxiclav" in solid form is not prescribed for hypersensitivity to any ingredient of the drug, as well as for allergies to other beta-lactam antibiotics. In addition, such an antibiotic is contraindicated if the child has lymphocytic leukemia or infectious mononucleosis. Patients with liver disease and other serious pathologies require caution in using the medication.
Side effects
The digestive system of some patients reacts to "Amoxiclav" with poor appetite, diarrhea, nausea and other negative symptoms. Occasionally, pills provoke dizziness and allergic reactions, and in some cases, they note their negative effect on the kidneys, hematopoiesis or liver condition.
Any changes in the child's condition during treatment with Amoxiclav should be immediately reported to the doctor.
Instructions for use
So that the antibiotic does not have a harmful effect on the gastrointestinal tract, it is advised to drink the drug at the beginning of a meal. Coated tablets "Amoxiclav" are prescribed to patients over 12 years old according to the following scheme:
- if the infection is assessed by the doctor as mild, then the child should take three tablets with a dosage of 250 mg + 125 mg per day (they are given one at intervals of 8 hours) or two tablets with a dosage of 500 mg + 125 mg (at intervals of 12 hours);
- with an average severity of the infectious process, single and daily dosages are the same as with a mild course;
- in case of infection of the respiratory tract or with severe infection of any localization, the patient is given three tablets per day with a dosage of 500 mg + 125 mg (at intervals of 8 hours), or two tablets with a dosage of 875 mg + 125 mg (at intervals of 12 hours).
The duration of taking "Amoxiclav" is determined by the doctor and can be up to 14 days. A child should not receive amoxicillin per day in a dose of more than 45 mg per 1 kilogram of his weight. For clavulanic acid, the childhood limitation is 10 mg / kg.
Before taking "Amoxiclav Kviktab" it is advised to dissolve in water, taking it in a volume of at least 30 ml. It is also permissible to put the tablet in your mouth and wait for it to dissolve under the influence of saliva. Like coated tablets, the drug "Kviktab" is recommended to be taken at the beginning of meals. For the treatment of moderate or mild infection, a teenager should take one tablet containing 625 mg of active ingredients twice a day, that is, every 12 hours.
If the child has a serious infectious disease or a respiratory tract injury is detected, then the frequency of administration increases up to 3 times a day with an interval of 8 hours or switches to a higher dosage - give the patient one tablet containing 1000 mg of active substances twice a day with at intervals of 12 hours. The duration of treatment with dissolving tablets is also up to 2 weeks.
Overdose
If a child accidentally drinks more Amoxiclav tablets, it will lead to abdominal pain, restlessness, insomnia, diarrhea and other negative symptoms. If they occur, a doctor's examination is required.
Terms of sale and storage
To purchase "Amoxiclav" in tablets, as well as to purchase the drug "Kviktab", you need a prescription from a doctor. The price of the medication depends on the dosage and the number of tablets in the pack. For example, for 15 coated tablets with a dosage of 250 mg + 125 mg, you need to pay about 230 rubles, and 14 Amoxiclav Kviktab tablets with a dosage of 875 mg + 125 mg cost 400-450 rubles. The shelf life of both types of antibiotic is 2 years. Until it is over, the medicine should be kept at a temperature below 25 degrees Celsius in a dry place.
Reviews
The use of solid forms of "Amoxiclav" in children over 12 years of age is generally responded positively. Parents confirm that this antibiotic helped with bronchitis, otitis media, or other infection, and side effects were rare. Among them, they most often complain of negative symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract.
Analogs
If for some reason it is necessary to replace "Amoxiclav" with an analogue, other antibiotics can be used that have the same active substances - tablets "Panklav", "Arlet", "Augmentin", "Ekoklav", "Medoklav", "Flemoxin Solutab" , "Ranklave" and others. All of them are indicated for the same diseases and act on the same types of microorganisms. Instead of such drugs, the doctor can also prescribe cephalosporins or other penicillin antibiotics, and if the patient is diagnosed with their intolerance, then drugs with a different structure are used, for example, "Azithromycin".
For instructions on the use of Amoxiclav tablets, see the following video.
