Aspirin – to drink or not to drink to live well and long?

Aspirin , or acetylsalicylic acid, is a medicinal substance belonging to the group of so-called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

It includes drugs familiar to many, such as ibuprofen (Nurofen, Faspik, Advil), nimesulide (Nimesil, Nise), meloxicam (Movalis, Artrosan) and some others, but only aspirin has a unique effect on platelets.

Aspirin does not thin the blood.

In fact, it is a myth that aspirin thins the blood. How “thin” a person’s blood is depends on the content of hemoglobin and red blood cells in it (a person with anemia has more “watery” blood), as well as on the amount of fluid consumed. Aspirin reduces the ability of blood to clot, that is, to form blood clots, and does not affect its “thickness.”

"Magic" pills

There is a group of drugs collectively called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which we all have taken at least once in our lives, and many regularly. These are drugs that have analgesic, anti-inflammatory and/or antipyretic effects. Examples include Aspirin, Nurofen, Nice, Ketanov, Ketoprofen and others. Considering the “magical effects” of their action - relieving inflammation, pain and fever - they are prescribed by almost everyone, everyone, always. Prescribed by traumatologists, rheumatologists, therapists, ENT specialists, dentists. Plus, they can be purchased completely freely at any pharmacy. But, along with the “magical properties”, these drugs have a number of side effects that can be divided into 2 groups: cardio risks and gastro risks. Actually, gastrorisks will be discussed in this article.

Preparatory procedures

The preparatory stage is part of a successfully completed procedure:

• Prepare a mask or scrub using acetylsalicylic acid.
• Properly prepare your facial skin . Be sure to remove all makeup and cleanse the skin of any impurities using regular warm water. Wipe your face with toner;
• Steam your facial skin over a steam bath , preferably using herbal infusions based on nettle, chamomile, calendula, sage or thyme. To prepare such a decoction, just take 3 tbsp for 2 glasses of water. l. different herbs. It would also be useful to visit a sauna or steam bath before such procedures. This will open the pores and help you achieve the desired result faster.

You should definitely follow safety rules when taking such baths - do not tilt your face below 25 cm above the steam and do not breathe in it for more than 15 minutes. This can make your skin very dry.

NSAID gastropathy

In the scientific literature, this problem is called “NSAID gastropathy.”
The term was first proposed in 1986 to distinguish specific damage to the gastric mucosa that occurs with long-term use of NSAIDs from classic peptic ulcer disease. The difference between NSAID gastropathy and peptic ulcer disease can also be traced by the affected area. Most often, ulcers can be seen in the stomach, and not in the duodenum. Plus, the changes are more common in older people than in younger people.

Origin of aspirin

Acid face masks have appeared quite recently. Acetylsalicylic acid was first obtained in 1897. It was synthesized in the laboratories of Bayer AG, which later registered the resulting substance under the commercial name “aspirin.” The starting material for its production was ordinary willow bark. Decoctions from the bark of this tree were very popular in folk medicine of past centuries and were used as an antipyretic.

Willow “infusions” have long lost their popularity due to serious side effects. However, the chemically obtained aspirin formula is considered safe for a healthy person and is of utmost importance in world medicine. The medicine is used to relieve pain, lower body temperature, eliminate inflammatory processes, and can also be prescribed for rheumatism.

Some numbers

Some statistics. In the UK, approximately 24 million NSAIDs are prescribed per year. 70% of people over 70 years of age take NSAIDs once a week, and 34% daily. In the United States, up to 6 billion worth of NSAIDs are sold annually. As a result, the risk of developing gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) increases 3–5 times, perforation by 6 times, and the risk of death from complications by up to 8 times. Up to 40–50% of all cases of acute gastrointestinal tract infections are associated with NSAIDs.

This problem is also relevant in our country, for example, according to the Scientific Center for Cardiovascular Surgery named after. A.N. Bakulev, out of 240 patients taking aspirin daily, even in small doses, gastroscopy revealed lesions of the stomach and 12 p.c. in 30% (of which ulcers - in 23.6%, erosions - in 76.4%). A similar picture was observed among colleagues from the All-Russian Research Institute of Rheumatology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences - in 2126 patients taking NSAIDs without “covering” (protection) of the stomach, erosions and ulcers of the gastroduodenal zone were found in 33.8% of cases. These are very impressive and dramatic numbers of complications from taking NSAIDs, considering the number of people using these drugs in developed countries.

Latest information and popular answers on COVID-19!

June 30, 2022

Dear friends!

Every day we receive many questions from you about the COVID-19 . Our colleagues, the Association of Family Doctors of Kazakhstan , have prepared answers to the most popular questions that concern everyone so much now. All information was prepared by doctors on June 30, so you can find the most up-to-date information below:

IF YOU ARE SICK

1. I have developed symptoms of coronavirus infection / I suspect that I have coronavirus / I have tested positive for coronavirus / A CT scan has revealed signs of viral pneumonia. What to do?

Your next steps depend on how you feel and your symptoms.

Remember that 80% of people infected with Covid-19 show no symptoms or are only mildly ill.

It is easy to get sick with coronavirus infection - that means:

• your body temperature does not exceed 39°;

• you are not out of breath (you can walk around the apartment/house, you can take a shower, go to the toilet, drink tea, etc.)

• shortness of breath and cough do not interfere with your ability to speak;

• other symptoms: headache, dry cough, sore throat, muscle and bone pain, loss of smell and taste, diarrhea - may or may not be present.

If symptoms appear mildly, the general recommendations below should be followed:

1) Self-isolation so as not to infect other people.

Stay home. If you do not live alone, you must have a separate room, the doors to which must be constantly closed, the room itself must be constantly ventilated, and all surfaces in it must be regularly treated with disinfectant solutions. Your family members should leave everything you need (food, drinks, hygiene products, etc.) at your door. If you leave the room to visit the toilet or bathroom, you need to wear a mask, after yourself you need to treat all surfaces that you touched with a disinfectant solution, also wash your hands thoroughly with soap and treat them with a sanitizer (alcohol solution).

2) Call the clinic and tell your local doctor about your symptoms.

This is necessary so that the doctor can monitor your condition remotely, and if it worsens, help hospitalize you.

3) Drink plenty of warm drinks - up to 2-4 liters per day.

Increased fluid intake helps relieve intoxication, headaches, reduce fever, overcome dehydration (with fever, shortness of breath and diarrhea, your body loses a lot of fluid) and thin the blood.

What drink? First of all, clean water (2-3 liters), any tea with raspberries, currants, sea buckthorn, barberries, honey (if there are no allergies), broths (chicken, beef, lamb, horse meat). It is not advisable to drink a lot of sugary drinks, especially for people with increased weight.

4) Breathing exercises - 2-3 times a day

Breathing exercises will help relieve congestion in the lungs and increase the reserves of the respiratory system. The basic principle is to hold your breath for 7-20 seconds after taking a deep breath. Then exhale strong and long. It is necessary to use the posterior lower sections of the lungs. Try not to lie in bed or sit for a long time.

A video with breathing exercises will be released soon on the ASVK insta account in partnership with the Freediving Federation of Kazakhstan

5) Physical activity

Try to get up, walk, do light exercises to stretch your muscles and joints: turns, bends, etc. Even if you have little strength, do not lie on your back for a long time, always turn on your side or stomach.

6) Get a good night's sleep

7) Balanced diet

Try to eat more raw fruits and vegetables (cabbage, herbs, peppers, cucumbers, etc.).

Taking vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 has proven effective against other acute viral infections. Research shows that low levels of vitamin D3 in the blood have been linked to more severe Covid-19. Take 2,000 international units (IU) once daily with meals, especially if you are known to have low blood levels of vitamin D3.

9) Control of respiratory rate per minute

1 cycle of respiratory rate is inhalation + exhalation. Another person must take the measurements when you are at rest, that is, sitting or lying down. The normal level of respiratory rate in an adult is from 12 to 20 cycles per minute; a respiratory rate above 24 per minute is an indicator of shortness of breath.

10) Temperature control - 2-3 times a day

11) Pulse monitoring - 2-3 times a day

12) Symptom Diary

Keep a notebook in which you will write down your symptoms, as well as your respiratory rate, temperature and pulse. Share these indicators with your local doctor. The Ministry of Health has released a convenient checklist. You can download or view it here.

There is currently no specific treatment for COVID-19, so symptomatic treatment is recommended if necessary.

In case of poor tolerance to fever or severe malaise, regardless of temperature (muscle pain, headache, “aches” in the body and joints, general painful condition):

— Paracetamol 500 mg — 1 tablet up to 3 times a day (every 6-8 hours)

or

— Ibuprofen 200 mg — 1 tablet up to 3 times a day (every 6-8 hours)

For sore throat, sore throat, cough:

— Resorption of antiseptic tablets

If there are signs of gastroenteritis (vomiting, diarrhea):

— Regidron — 1 sachet per liter of warm boiled water (up to 2-3 liters per day during the day)

If you have severe nausea:

— Metoclopramide (Cerucal) 10 mg — 1 tablet up to 3-4 times a day 30 minutes before meals

or

Ondansetron 4 mg (lozenges) - 1 tablet 3-4 times a day 30 minutes before meals

+ Basic therapy for concomitant chronic diseases (arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, asthma, COPD, etc.)

Routine administration of antiviral and antibacterial drugs is not recommended because they do not work against SARS-Cov-2.

It is not recommended to prescribe multivitamin complexes and dietary supplements, as well as so-called immunomodulating / immunostimulating drugs that do not have an evidence base.

In the vast majority of cases, the disease will proceed as a normal viral infection, and the body's immune system will cope with the disease itself. That's why:

• no need to panic;

• you do not need to take any other unproven “medicines”, vitamins or nutritional supplements promoted by dishonest manufacturers for Covid-19;

• no need to breathe alcohol, soda or anything else like that;

• there is no need to call an ambulance unnecessarily or try to call a family doctor at home;

• no need to take antibiotics, antiviral drugs, aspirin, etc.;

• there is no need to strive to get tested for Covid-19.

2. Why is there no need to urgently go for a PCR test and CT scan?

Testing for coronavirus will do nothing if there are no symptoms. You can get a negative result from a nasopharyngeal swab today, but become infected tomorrow.

But even if there are symptoms, there is no need to take any action to make sure that they are associated with coronavirus infection. Unfortunately, these examinations do not provide any specific answers to the questions: what to do next, how to be treated, what to take. The sensitivity of PCR is very low (30-60%). In other words, if you are typically sick, and the “smear is negative,” this does not give grounds to deny the presence of coronavirus infection in your body, that is, with a probability of 40-70% you are still infected with coronavirus.

The analysis will not affect your chance of recovery in any way, but can greatly complicate the situation. For example, you could become infected while being tested. Any visit to a hospital, clinic or laboratory is dangerous for infection, because sick people accumulate there. A negative test creates a false sense of security, while tests for Covid-19 are often falsely negative. A positive test result does not in any way affect further treatment tactics, since there is currently no specific treatment for coronavirus infection, and in any case, the outcome depends only on your immunity.

Computed tomography (CT) of the lungs is an excellent method, but it is not used to diagnose coronavirus as such, but to diagnose viral pneumonia. In many patients, fortunately, the infection occurs without pneumonia or with minimal damage to the lungs. There is no need to do a CT scan “just for fun”.

As with the coronavirus test (PCR), the mere detection of signs of the disease on a CT scan, even bilateral pneumonia, will not in any way affect what needs to be done next. With Covid-19, even in the mildest patients, CT scans sometimes reveal bilateral pneumonia, which subsequently resolves on its own. Additionally, CT scanners are often not properly disinfected, and even if you don't have Covid-19, you can contract it in the CT scanner, in the waiting area, or from interacting with staff.

A CT scan should be done only when the condition is quite severe and the issue of hospitalization is being discussed, when the patient has signs of hypoxia, that is, oxygen starvation of the body.

3. In what cases are hospitalization and examination still necessary?

Hospitalization and examinations for coronavirus (PCR, CT scan of the lungs) are indicated only for seriously ill patients, when there is a question about oxygen support or treatment in an intensive care unit. Only 20% of infected people require hospital care.

The following symptoms are a cause for concern and to seek medical help:

1) Severe shortness of breath* (feeling of lack of air) - respiratory rate more than 24 cycles per minute;

*Shortness of breath is classified according to severity:

Mild—shortness of breath that does not interfere with daily activities (for example, mild shortness of breath when climbing one or two flights of stairs or when walking briskly);

Moderate—shortness of breath that limits daily life (for example, shortness of breath that limits the ability to climb stairs without needing to rest, or interferes with cooking and light housework);

Severe—dyspnea that causes shortness of breath at rest, makes the patient unable to speak in complete sentences, and interferes with simple activities such as washing or dressing.

2) High temperature

39 and above, which does not decrease while taking antipyretics and persists for a long time (more than 7 days);

3) Decreased blood oxygen saturation levels

Blood oxygen saturation is measured using a pulse oximeter, a small device worn on the index or middle finger of the hand. It shows your oxygen saturation percentage and gives your heart rate. A blood oxygen saturation level of 94% or lower is a sign that the lungs are not coping with their function and the patient needs oxygen support.

4) Impaired consciousness

lethargy, disorientation in space and time.

5) Decrease or sharp increase in blood pressure

below 90 mm Hg or 220 mm Hg and above

6) Increased heart rate

above 130 per minute

7) Presence of additional risk factors

age 65+, concomitant cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, cancer, etc.

Other severe symptoms

for example, unbearable pain, in particular headaches, uncontrollable vomiting, incessant diarrhea.

* The combination of two or more signs indicates the need for hospitalization. You must report your condition to your local doctor (general practitioner) at the clinic to which you are attached, or call an ambulance.

Seeking medical help in order to prevent a worsening condition or prevent complications, as we always do with other diseases, unfortunately does not work in the case of coronavirus infection. Medical workers cannot help you from this point of view; the course of the disease and its outcome depend only on your immune system. Moreover, unnecessary contacts with medical workers without any serious reasons for this not only will not bring you any benefit, but also poses a risk of catching a real coronavirus infection if you previously had a regular viral or bacterial infection.

4. I have a negative test for COVID, but a CT scan shows double pneumonia. How is this possible?

The sensitivity of COVID tests is highly dependent on the correct nasopharyngeal swab. Not all health care workers can correctly collect a smear from the back of the throat. The result also depends on the quality of PCR diagnostics.

The sensitivity of CT is many times higher. Already in the emergency room, having seen the typical clinical picture and changes on a CT scan of the lungs, doctors are 99.9% confident in the diagnosis. Smear data have statistical (epidemiological) significance, but are absolutely not needed to determine treatment tactics.

5. What if I don’t have coronavirus pneumonia, but regular pneumonia, and they take me to a Covid hospital and I get infected.

Doctors try to minimize these risks at the triage level, but in the current conditions, pneumonia really won’t be taken to a regular hospital. However, the frequency of such an error is less than 1%; ordinary community-acquired pneumonia is now very rare (they can be distinguished by CT).

6. Are the lungs always affected?

Coronavirus infection can occur in different forms and lung damage does not always occur. Often the disease occurs completely without symptoms, that is, even with a positive test result for coronavirus, a person does not feel any symptoms, and when examining such a carrier, no changes in the body are revealed. This condition is called asymptomatic carriage.

If symptoms are present, the following forms of the disease are distinguished:

• coronavirus infection with damage to the upper respiratory tract (rhinitis, pharyngitis)

• coronavirus infection with damage to the lower respiratory tract (pneumonia).

In the latter case, lung damage is observed. But in most patients the disease proceeds without damage to the lungs.

7. I am sick, and I have small children, I cannot isolate myself from them. What to do?

In close contact with children, it is almost impossible to avoid infection. If you are unable to self-isolate, expect your children to also catch the infection because the virus is highly contagious. Even constant protective measures: hand washing with soap, masks, sanitizers, saline solutions will not be able to prevent the transmission of infection when staying in the same area.

But at the same time, you need to know that children mostly experience COVID-19 asymptomatically or in a mild form. Symptoms such as a runny nose, mild fever, sore throat, and loose stools may develop, but in most cases children feel well and do not experience, compared to adults, severe malaise, weakness, or lack of appetite. If symptoms develop, you need to adhere to symptomatic treatment: give the child plenty of fluids, wash the nose with saline solution, and if the body temperature rises above 38.5 C - children's paracetamol.

According to research, newborns and adolescents are at risk. Scientists are still exploring theories and there is no definitive explanation yet.

INPATIENT CARE

8. What is the treatment in the hospital?

There is nothing special to treat in hospitals, since there are no drugs for Covid-19 proven to be effective and safe.

The hospital can help you cope with the complications of Covid-19: first of all, respiratory failure, which is expressed in a decrease in the level of oxygen in the body, which is manifested by severe shortness of breath. Breathing problems occur if the virus enters the lungs and causes pneumonia there. Severe shortness of breath prevents a person from walking, even sitting and talking.

Blood oxygen saturation levels can be determined using a pulse oximeter. Emergency specialists, hospital doctors and some local police officers have these devices. Oxygen saturation for an adult below 94%, as well as a respiratory rate greater than 24, indicates the need for hospitalization and oxygen inhalation through nasal tubes (cannulas).

Droppers help seriously ill patients who cannot drink themselves to reduce dehydration, establish parenteral nutrition and administer certain medications to them. In hospitals, antibiotics are administered intravenously and antiviral tablets are given.

If oxygen inhalation does not help, transfer to artificial ventilation (ALV). Approximately 5% of infected people require intubation. In this case, the prognosis is poor (mortality rate is about 80%). Also, in severe patients, the formation of blood clots increases. This thrombosis is treated with special medications - so-called direct anticoagulants. Also, only severe patients who have developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and “cytokine storm” are given immunosuppressants such as dexamethasone tablets or intravenous bolus. In some countries, monoclonal antibodies are available to treat ARDS.

9. My relative was admitted to the hospital, but he complains that he is not examined or treated in any way!

Hospitalization for coronavirus infection is an issue that is still controversial, that is, the indications for hospitalization of patients are being reviewed and changed. If at the beginning of the spread of the disease in our country everyone who was diagnosed with coronavirus by laboratory methods was hospitalized, now, due to the overload of hospitals, they began to resort to hospitalization for more specific indications.

It is important to note that even if beds are available, hospitalization in most cases (up to 85% of cases) is not indicated. This is due to the fact that there is no specific treatment for covid infection, and hospital stay does not bring any additional benefit to the patient. The situation may also develop in such a way that instead of benefits there will be negative consequences (constant contact with patients, taking severe toxic drugs).

Thus, hospitalization is indicated only in severe cases, when the patient requires oxygen support through stationary equipment for respiratory failure. How does a patient in hospital due to coronavirus infection feel? Patients find themselves in a very unusual and even frightening environment, which is strikingly different from the usual hospital, where they usually receive a lot of examinations, consultations, intimate advisory conversations, etc. The current COVID hospitals have been repurposed specifically for the treatment of COVID-19. Doctors try to take into account the patient’s concomitant diseases, but do not always have the opportunity to fully treat them.

The treatment does not involve many droppers and injections. For patient safety, most drugs are given in tablets. Anticoagulants (blood thinners) are mainly prescribed in injectable form. The main method of treatment in a hospital is oxygen support of varying degrees of intensity.

Therefore, from the patient’s perspective, the treatment process really does not look very exciting: oxygen from the wall, a handful of tablets, 1-2 subcutaneous injections per day and a pulse oximeter on the finger 3 times a day. And the doctor’s talkativeness in a respirator is significantly reduced.

10. My relative is in the hospital, how can I help him?

What NOT to do:

— Don’t try to get a doctor’s personal contact. Most likely, no one will give it to you, and that’s right. In the current conditions, the working day in the zone is extremely busy, and being distracted by conversations is very unproductive.

— There is no need to demand from the doctor a more comfortable accommodation for your relative, because our hospitals, as a rule, are ordinary, of Soviet origin, and in this situation the situation is not so important.

What to do:

— Help provide the patient with all hygiene products and hand over the necessary things. If you have your own pulse oximeter, glucometer, tonometer, thermometer, then this will be useful for the patient, since in our hospitals there are often cases of breakdowns and it is better to have your own devices with you.

— Provide the patient with all necessary medications to treat his underlying chronic diseases.

— Through the patient himself, convey to the doctor information about your readiness to purchase additional medications (as a rule, we are talking about anticoagulants). Not all hospitals have enough of them for 100% of patients. Please note that the doctor himself will almost never ask you to purchase medications.

11. How not to panic when so many people have died?

We say that there is no need to panic, because panic itself can provoke rash and dangerous actions on your part. For example, if you have any symptoms from the respiratory tract, you will rush to go to the hospital and call an ambulance.

In a state of panic, you will not be able to objectively assess your condition. Alarmists not only complicate the work of the healthcare system, doctors, but, above all, their own lives.

By going to the hospital, testing centers, CT scans, you increase the risk of infection if you do not have COVID. If there is a positive PCR test or symptoms of COVID, 80% of people have either asymptomatic or mild illness, and only 20% require hospital care. It is necessary to understand that in addition to the fact that hospitals in Kazakhstan are overcrowded, hospitals are not equipped at the proper level: only 3-5% of beds are provided with oxygen, monitors, and ventilators. Moreover, there are not enough doctors and nurses, as many have become infected and are sick themselves. That is why you should not panic and take rash actions.

RECOVERY, RE-INFECTION, TREATMENT AFTER

12. If a person already has COVID and is recovering, do they need to be isolated from another person with COVID?

If you have been diagnosed with coronavirus, then you must stop contact for 2 weeks with everyone who does not have this virus. You cannot go outside, go to the store, communicate with relatives, loved ones, children and the elderly. If a family member or someone close to you also tested positive for coronavirus at the same time as you, then you can communicate with each other. If this person’s virus was detected later, and you have already recovered and were ill earlier (a week or two or more), then contact with a “fresh” infected person is undesirable.

13. Can people who have been ill get sick again?

In response to infection, the body produces antibodies. Antibodies are proteins that help fight infections and usually provide protection against getting sick again (immunity). Antibodies are specific for the disease. For example, antibodies against measles will protect a person who has been exposed again to someone with measles, but will not work if the person contracts the flu.

COVID-19 is a new infection. Antibodies are also produced in response to this virus. But how persistent they are, whether they can prevent re-infection and for how long is not yet known for sure. Therefore, there is no reliable data yet on whether re-infection is possible. This issue is currently being studied.

14. It seems to me that I have already had coronavirus, because in January-March I had a severe cough. Do I need to take a blood test for antibodies?

If you have these symptoms, it is possible that you have suffered a coronavirus infection, although in January it was not yet widespread in our country (unless you arrived from China). Taking blood tests for antibodies in your case does not have any important meaning. Firstly, the sensitivity and specificity of these tests have not been sufficiently studied, that is, it is unknown how accurately they will confirm that you have encountered a coronavirus infection. Secondly, there is still no answer to the question of how strong immunity is formed in those who have recovered from coronavirus. That is, even if antibodies to coronavirus are detected in your blood, this does not guarantee you complete protection from re-infection, which means you must still take all measures to prevent infection - just like other people in your environment.

15. How to be treated after suffering from Covid?

We ourselves would like to know the answer to this question. The long-term consequences of COVID-19 appear to be manifested in different organs. This includes pulmonary fibrosis, myocarditis, and much more. As for pulmonary rehabilitation, we can talk about standard breathing exercises (these techniques can be found on the Internet). Just don't blow up the balloons!

16. Tell us about blowing up balloons?

Inflating balloons is a training of the respiratory muscles with increased resistance during exhalation. This is useful for asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), so that patients learn to exhale for a long time. Because with these diseases the lumen of the bronchi narrows.

With Covid, this is not necessary: ​​in this case, it is more important to practice inhalation, because the bronchi do not suffer, but the alveoli suffer, and the respiratory surface decreases. Gas exchange suffers. With breathing exercises, we seem to expand this surface for oxygen exchange and prevent inflammatory fluid from filling the alveoli.

POPULAR DRUGS, TREATMENT PROTOCOLS, ETC.

17. Nowadays there is a lot of talk about the benefits of anticoagulants for COVID. Should I take them for prevention?

No need. Anticoagulants do not prevent or treat the infection itself. They will help with the development of complications in the form of thrombosis. Increased formation of blood clots due to the fact that the virus has penetrated into the arteries and veins occurs extremely rarely, and only in seriously ill patients who are in the hospital, especially in intensive care. Very “serious” injection medications are used for treatment. Such as heparin and its derivatives. These medications require monitoring the state of the coagulation system using multiple indicators.

18. Are the popular drugs that many people are now actively buying effective in the fight against COVID-19?

The effectiveness of drugs such as nobasit (enisamia iodide), ingavirin (imidazolylethanamide of pentanedioic acid), interferon in the nose (leukocyte interferon human or powder for solution, or in solution), arpeflu (umifenovir hydrochloride) has not been proven. All of these drugs are claimed to be antiviral, but have not undergone randomized clinical trials and are not used in countries where evidence-based medicine is accepted.

We recommend using words such as “immunomodulatory effect,” “strengthening the immune system,” or “protector” of something as a “red rag” in the instructions for medications. These very unscientific and vague concepts are often used by manufacturers of unproven drugs and dietary supplements.

Tamiflu (oseltamivir), Relenza (zanamavir) and inavir (laninamivir) only work against the influenza virus (the season will be in winter), but many are now mistakenly taking these medications for coronavirus.

Nimesil is the commercial name of nimesulide, one of dozens of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which also include aspirin, ibuprofen, paracetamol, sodium diclofenac, etc. You should not take nimesil if you suspect you have COVID, because it failed the safety test. Today, for very severe pain in muscles, bones, and poor tolerance to very high temperatures, taking only two drugs is justified: paracetamol (acetominophen is its other international nonproprietary name) and ibuprofen.

Sumamed (international nonproprietary name azithromycin), ceftriaxone and any other antibiotics should not be taken by people with coronavirus infection, because you disrupt your microbiome (destroy beneficial microbes in the intestines and nasopharynx), contributing to the development of antibiotic resistance. No antibiotics work on viruses! They are not only useless, but harmful for viral infections. They will be prescribed to you if you are seriously ill with COVID and are in intensive care under intubation, only to prevent a secondary bacterial infection that is carried into the lungs during intubation.

19. A certain protocol for the treatment of coronavirus infection is being actively sent out via WhatsApp, where people are prescribed to immediately take antibiotics and antiviral drugs. Is it correct?

You should not rely on mailings with protocols for the treatment of covid infection or on any other sources of information advising you to take certain antiviral drugs or antibiotics.

Unfortunately, today there is no specific treatment for covid infection. This means that there is not a single drug with proven effectiveness that would prevent the development of the disease or help stop the course of the disease and lead to a faster recovery, so there is no need to take antiviral drugs or antibiotics from the first days of the disease. There will definitely be no benefit from this, but the side effects of these medications are real, and they can worsen your well-being and the course of the disease.

Drugs against the virus and antibiotics in case of secondary bacterial infection are prescribed by the doctor. For this, there are strict indications that he follows when treating seriously ill patients in a hospital. And even in these cases, treatment is often empirical (experimental) in nature, and there is no guarantee that the drugs will work in any particular case.

20. Is it true that ibuprofen can cause complications?

Indeed, early in the pandemic, articles were published that noted that COVID patients who took ibuprofen were more likely to die or have complications. However, subsequent studies completely vindicated ibuprofen.

Moreover, randomized controlled trials have been conducted which have shown that ibuprofen, taken for severe muscle pain, headaches or poor temperature tolerance, is not only safe, but also has an advantage over other similar drugs.

21. Will activated carbon help against the virus?

Some people use activated charcoal for all illnesses. Let's look at what activated carbon is.

Here is what Wikipedia writes: “Activated carbon is a porous substance that is obtained from various carbon-containing materials of organic origin: charcoal (brands of activated carbon BAU-A, OU-A, DAK[1], etc.), coal coke (brands of activated carbon coal AG-3, AG-5, AR, etc.), petroleum coke, coconut shells and other materials. It contains a huge number of pores and therefore has a very large specific surface area per unit mass, as a result of which it has a high adsorption capacity.”

This means that coal, which we sell in black tablets of 0.25 and 0.5 g, is a porous substance, that is, it has the ability to absorb (adsorb) liquids, in particular gastric juice and the poisons it contains. Coal will work as an antidote in the lumen of the stomach and further in the intestines. In medicine, activated carbon is used in large doses (50-100 grams) in the form of a powder, which is mixed with water and given in one gulp, in case of drug overdose, poisoning, in order to reduce the absorption of the drug taken orally and causing anaphylactic shock.

Now think about where the virus is in an infected person? It does not float in the gastric or intestinal juice. It attaches to the walls of the epithelium of the respiratory tract, less often - the epithelium of the gastrointestinal tract. Having attached, the virus penetrates inside the cells in a matter of minutes and causes our cells to produce similar viruses. And the cells die. So coal, as a chemical absorbent-adsorbent, is absolutely useless.

How it works?

How do these drugs work in our stomachs? Everything is very simple, the negative impact is realized due to the imbalance of defensive and aggressive forces. We have a number of defense mechanisms in our stomach that allow us to withstand the onslaught of aggressors. Among the latest:

• An acid whose pH balance is close to that of battery acid
• Bile and pancreatic juice, which can be thrown into the stomach.
• A number of medications.
• Alcohol and nicotine.
• Irritating food components (spices, spicy foods, etc.)
• Helicobacter pylori infection and so on.

The stomach is protected due to a thick layer of mucus and bicarbonates that neutralize acid, adequate blood supply, and the ability to regenerate very quickly. When we use NSAID drugs, the balance of forces changes towards aggressive mechanisms and damage occurs to the mucous and submucosal layer of the stomach and duodenum.

Overdose

Signs of a moderate overdose include:

• Hearing impairment
• Headache
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Noise in ears

If you reduce the dose of the drug, these symptoms will disappear.

In case of severe overdose, the following occurs:

• Ketosis
• Fever
• Respiratory failure
• Severe hypoglycemia
• Cardiogenic shock

With such symptoms, the patient is hospitalized in a hospital.

Diagnostics

To diagnose such changes, gastroscopy is used, which is the “gold standard”. An interesting fact is that about 40% of patients with erosive-ulcerative changes who take these drugs for a long time (more than 6 weeks) do not feel any discomfort or unpleasant, painful sensations. Stomach problems are diagnosed only when visiting other doctors, and not a gastroenterologist. And, conversely, in 40% of patients, despite the complaints they make, nothing is found.

Release form and composition

Acetylsalicylic acid is available in the form of tablets, 10 pcs. They have a white color, a characteristic odor and a round shape with a line for dividing the tablet on one side.

Compound:

• Active ingredient : acetylsalicylic acid 500 mg;
• Auxiliary components: silicon dioxide;
• stearic acid;
• talc;
• potato starch;
• lemon acid.

What to do in this case?!

The algorithm of actions for patients who do not have stomach problems and those who have a history of peptic ulcers or erosive changes is different. For the first group, when prescribing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for more than 5 days, it is mandatory to prescribe drugs from the group of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Such as omeprazole, pantoprazole, rabeprazole, etc. (for the entire course of treatment). For the second group, any prescriptions from the NSAID group, regardless of the duration of use, require parallel prescription of proton pump inhibitors. It is also mandatory to take a PPI for patients taking aspirin for a long time.

Use during pregnancy and lactation

Pregnant and lactating women are not recommended to use acetylsalicylic acid in cosmetics.
This can affect fetal formation and child development.

Frequent use of aspirin (especially internal) can affect delivery and the course of pregnancy in the last weeks of gestation.

In the first trimester of pregnancy, when using aspirin, there is a risk of deformities in the fetus. This has been proven by epidemiological studies. Although in practice such pathologies did not arise.

The use of aspirin during breastfeeding without a break in lactation is possible only in a standard dosage.

Myths that we encounter in daily practice

Myth 1. Using NSAID drugs in the form of suppositories is less aggressive for the stomach than taking pills

This is 100% a myth. The pathogenic, destructive effect of the drug is realized through the blood, delivering it through the vessels to the stomach.

Myth 2. Medicines from the group of antacids - Rennie, Maalox, Phosphalugel and H2-blockers (Ranitidine and Famotidine) can be used as “gastroprotectors”

In this case they are not effective.

Myth 3. You can't take proton pump inhibitors regularly

The fact is that if an elderly person has been prescribed an anti-inflammatory drug for life, it is absolutely pointless to prescribe gastroprotection for a month. In such cases, medications should be taken strictly in parallel.

Myth 4. Food products (jelly, etc.) can act as “gastroprotectors”

We will leave this myth as absolutely fantastic without comment.

Features of cosmetic effects

Crushed aspirin tablets in cosmetic mixtures have a peeling effect and gently exfoliate dead skin particles. This effect is determined by the chemical nature of the drug - the acid acts on the upper layers of the skin and weakens the connection between old and fresh epidermal cells. The skin becomes soft and smooth, small wrinkles disappear. Aspirin facial scrub also helps to cope with the problem of ingrown hairs. How else does acetylsalicylic acid manifest itself on the skin?

• Fights inflamed pimples and acne. The medicine reduces the content of the main component in the skin that causes inflammation and pain, and also constricts small vessels, thereby reducing blood flow to the inflamed area. Redness goes away and pimples decrease in size. Aspirin is a good antiseptic, which helps it fight pathogenic bacteria that cause inflammation and the appearance of acne. The aspirin face mask has received a lot of good reviews from those who have used it to treat acne.
• Visually “hides” acne. Contrary to popular belief, aspirin does not remove acne plugs from pores. Under the influence of the acidic environment of the drug, only the “outer”, oxidized part of the comedones, that is, the black dot itself, dissolves. In this case, the sebaceous plug remains in the same place, which means the effect of such “removal” will not last long - after a few days the blackhead will reappear in its original place. This method is good because you can quickly refresh your face and disguise acne before an important meeting or going out. To prevent inflammatory processes and get rid of the cause of blackheads, it is recommended to remove them completely. For example, in a cosmetology center or using special masks yourself.
• Brightens. The acidic environment of aspirin whitens the skin, including lightening age spots and freckles.
• Dries out oily skin. An aspirin face mask breaks down external sebum. Access of oxygen to the epidermis is facilitated, blood supply and metabolism are stimulated, complexion improves, and swelling goes away. The composition narrows the pores, which significantly reduces the risk of blockage and dirt and harmful microbes getting into them.

How to choose a medicine

In fact, the most important point is which medications we take. In the figure you can see the scale of aggressiveness of various drugs from the NSAID group in relation to the stomach.

The most aggressive drugs are Aspirin, Ketorolac, Piroxicam, Indomethacin. If possible, it is recommended to use selective drugs that have minimal gastrointestinal risks. Their use is always more desirable, these include Celecoxib and Rofecoxib. But despite their relative safety, they should be prescribed strictly according to indications by the attending doctor, do not forget about this.

Contraindications

As you can see, an inexpensive drug, especially in combination with a useful bee product, can solve many problems with health and appearance. But, before use, consider a number of contraindications!

The product is not intended for children, pregnant women, or during breastfeeding. Even when applied externally, active substances penetrate the bloodstream and can cause unpleasant complications! Contraindication for external use is the presence of scratches and cuts.

The benefits of aspirin and honey combination for facial skin

The pharmaceutical drug has anti-inflammatory properties, which are so important for the skin, especially those constantly suffering from acne and acne.
Honey is a natural antioxidant and an excellent bactericidal agent. When you combine these two components in one product, you can achieve amazing results:

• moisturize and rejuvenate the skin;
• tone the epidermis;
• remove oily shine and cleanse pores, while narrowing them;
• eliminate bacteria and germs from the surface of the face;
• prevent the appearance of wrinkles and reduce those that already exist;
• whiten the skin, erase redness from its surface;
• overcome acne and pimples;
• normalize the functioning of the sebaceous glands;
• stop inflammatory processes;
• stop the spread of hyperpigmentation;
• remove the keratinized layer of the epidermis;
• nourish the skin with vitamins;
• relieve swelling;
• eliminate peeling of the skin;
• reduce the effects of acne;
• even out the skin and improve its color.