Corvalol is a popular medicine, especially among older people. Available in the form of drops and tablets. In the minds of many, it is used when “the heart is in pain.” In fact, this combination drug belongs to the group of sedatives and hypnotics. It is not easy to find out the whole truth about Corvalol. Despite the fact that the drug is decades old, even doctors have ambivalent attitudes towards it.
Professor Pavel Vorobyov, head of an organization engaged in research into cost-effectiveness in pharmacology, believes that Corvalol should be classified as a hard drug and sold only by prescription. Its use prevents patients from seeing a doctor on time and hides the symptoms of serious diseases.
Also, uncontrolled use of the drug can lead to the development of side effects, addiction and poisoning.
Compound
The effects of taking Corvalol are easily explained by its composition.
Alpha-bromoisovaleric acid ethyl ester has a sedative effect similar to valerian. It helps relax the smooth muscles of internal organs, slows down the transmission of nerve impulses and reduces blood pressure.
Phenobarbital in small dosages causes drowsiness, relaxation, and also relaxes smooth muscles. Increases the resistance of the nervous system to irritants, promotes the onset of sleep, but the sleep that occurs is not physiological.
Peppermint leaf oil promotes dilatation of blood vessels in the heart and brain. Strengthens intestinal contractility.
The combination of these components enhances their effect.
Analogues of Corvalol
Instead of Corvalol drops for the heart, you can use Valocordin. This is a German medicine that is available in the form of an alcohol tincture. Its therapeutic effect is provided by phenobarbital and ethyl bromizovalerianate. As additional components, the drops contain ethyl alcohol, water, mint and hop oil.
Valocordin has the same indications for use as Corvalol, but it has other contraindications. The German remedy should not be taken if:
- hypersensitivity to the composition of the drug;
- severe liver and kidney dysfunction;
- age under 18 years;
- period of pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Due to the ethyl alcohol content, Valocordin should be drunk with caution if you have:
- pathologies of the liver and nervous system;
- alcohol addiction;
- head injuries.
Valocordin differs from Corvalol drops in its dosage regimen. It should be drunk before meals with a small amount of water. Most patients are prescribed the medicine from 15 to 20 drops three times a day. For patients suffering from insomnia, Valocordin is prescribed in a single dose of 30 drops.
Another difference between Valocordin and Corvalol tincture is the storage conditions. The German remedy does not lose its therapeutic effect at a temperature of 15-25 degrees for 5 years from the date of release.
Barboval has a similar effect to Corvalol drops. This Ukrainian medicine is produced in drops containing levomenthol, phenobarbital and ethyl bromisovalerianate as the main components. In addition to them, the drops contain water, ethanol and sodium acetate.
The main difference between Barboval and Corvalol drops is that it is not suitable for children.
You need to drink the Ukrainian drug half an hour before meals. The medicine can be diluted in a small volume of liquid or dripped onto a piece of sugar and placed under the tongue. A single dosage can vary from 10 to 15 drops. You should drink Barboval 2 or 3 times a day. The duration of therapy is determined for each patient individually. After a 2-week break, treatment can be repeated.
The shelf life of Barboval is 36 months. The medicine can be stored at temperatures up to 20 degrees.
Taking an analogue instead of Corvalol is permissible only with the permission of a doctor.
Can a common medicine become an enemy?
There are a lot of medicines that have been in pharmacies and home medicine cabinets for decades. We have known all about them since childhood and are not at all afraid of them. They are quiet, familiar and always at hand, like your favorite slippers: I used them and immediately felt light and calm.
But no matter what we are dealing with, no matter how harmless and familiar it may seem to us, we should always handle objects with caution. Even thanks to slippers, no matter how cozy and warm they are, you can fall and slip on a wet floor. And what about medications! Moreover, they may not be such friendly inhabitants of our home.
For example, the widely known and dear “Corvalol”, which can show its needles to those who treat it too carelessly.
Unclear diagnosis
I want to tell you a story. One day, a young woman, 27 years old, was admitted to the neurology department. According to her mother, she found her lying in the hallway of her apartment. The daughter's speech was incomprehensible and incoherent. The woman staggered and could hardly stand on her feet. The arriving ambulance team did not decide on the diagnosis and took the woman to the hospital, where she was hospitalized with a suspected ruptured brain aneurysm.
A computed tomography (CT) scan did not reveal any problems in the brain. And in the morning the girl became cheerful and cheerful. All her balance and speech problems disappeared. Relatives and doctors exhaled: “Well, thank God.” We decided to wait another week, conduct additional research and discharge the lady. However, the very next day the patient was found lying on the floor in her room, in the same condition as when she was hospitalized. Again fuss and research, again CT scan, and again after 2 days the woman is as fresh as a cucumber.
When to use
The drug cannot treat any serious diseases. It is usually taken for dysfunction without serious pathologies (functional impairment). Corvalol is taken to reduce the excitability of the nervous system and as a drug with some vasodilating effect. It can help with increased irritability, agitation with difficulty falling asleep and body reactions such as sweating, redness, weakness (manifestations of autonomic reactions of the nervous system). Sometimes to relieve intestinal spasms.
The main purpose of taking Corvalol is to reduce the excitability of the nervous system and slightly dilate blood vessels.
The General Secretary of the Russian Scientific Medical Society of Therapists, Andrei Spassky, believes that the drug is beneficial. It helps with heart disease, rhythm disturbances, and cardioneurosis. There are about 17 million people suffering from coronary heart disease in Russia. Approximately every second person uses such drugs, because they have a fairly good antiarrhythmic effect.
Reviews
“A good remedy for heart pain. There are always drops in your first aid kit in case of high blood pressure.”
Stanislav, 39 years old
“I suffer from chronic insomnia, so I always keep Corvalol tablets with me. The drops, of course, act faster, but I can’t stand their pungent smell.”
“I have a rather nervous job, sometimes, in order not to lash out at my subordinates, I have to take Corvalol. It calms and reduces blood pressure. I prefer tablets, as they are convenient to carry with you.”
Placebo effect
The literature describes placebo effects for Corvalol and the similar composition Valocordin1. Thus, elderly people living abroad, former citizens of Russia (USSR), sometimes at very old age, asked to send these particular drugs, because previously they “helped great.” What “used to be” was 20 years ago, they were younger and healthier, did not interest anyone. Explanations from local doctors and relatives that there are more effective, modern medicines did not reassure them. But the most interesting thing is that the new medications themselves did not help. The “tried and true” were needed. Then they resorted to a combination of active ingredients according to the instructions from Corvalol to produce exactly the same ones. But no, only the “old” Valocordin or Corvalol were needed. When patients did get “their” drugs, they began taking them with great pleasure and hope. Usually they helped, just as “effectively” as many years ago.
For many elderly patients, it is necessary to weigh the benefits and possible harm, additional risks when taking Corvalol. Often this is psychological dependence and the effect of self-hypnosis.
Do not take medications on your own and always consult a doctor.
Reactions, consequences of poisoning
In large doses, Corvalol reduces the metabolic rate and lowers body temperature due to its effect on the central mechanisms of thermoregulation. Reduces blood pressure. As a result, in acute poisoning, a decrease in renal filtration and the development of oliguria and anuria are possible.
The drug component phenobarbital significantly inhibits psychomotor reactions and impairs coordination of movements. Some doctors see this as an additional provoking factor for falls in older people with subsequent hip fractures. Osteoporosis, many contraindications to surgery for treatment, a long recovery period and bed rest can cause congestion in the lungs, the development of pneumonia, and ultimately lead to death.
The use of phenobarbital with alcohol not only greatly slows down psychomotor reactions and leads to impaired coordination. Overdose can cause coma and death. Long-term use of the drug causes fatigue, deterioration of memory and concentration, depression, headache, and tremor.
The instructions for medical use of the drug Corvalol do not prohibit the use of the drug simultaneously with alcohol. At the same time, the Roszdravnadzor database recorded adverse reactions when taking the drug Corvalol, which in some cases led to death. These cases were associated with its uncontrolled use in combination with alcohol.
The instructions for Corvalol do not prohibit the use of the drug simultaneously with alcohol, but cases of death have been recorded when it is taken uncontrolled along with alcohol.
Contraindications for use
Corvalol contains Luminal, as a result of which patients taking this drug are advised to refrain from potentially dangerous activities that require a high level of attention and concentration, and quick reaction. For example, when driving vehicles or other complex mechanisms, or when working at height.
Is Corvalol safe for pregnant women? The absence of alcohol in the component composition of the tablets allows it to be taken by some groups of patients. However, pregnant women are not included in this list due to the presence of phenobarbital in the drug, be it tablets or in the form of an alcohol solution. In general, Corvalol has many contraindications, which are largely associated with phenobarbital, ethanol and bromine, which can accumulate in the body:
- individual intolerance to the ingredients of the drug;
- severe liver and kidney dysfunction;
- perinatal period and lactation period;
- lactase deficiency;
- epileptic syndrome and seizures;
- alcohol addiction;
- consequences of traumatic brain injury.
Persons under 18 years of age should take the drug with caution.
Corvalol is not a medicine that treats a specific disease. The drug can only alleviate the patient’s condition in a certain situation that requires quick help. It is prescribed for:
- chronic insomnia (at night, until the usual sleep rhythm is normalized);
- situational neurosis-like state, feelings of anxiety, emotional outburst;
- nervous overstrain, prolonged stress;
- tachycardia as a situational aid that does not replace treatment with basic antiarrhythmic drugs;
- nervous spasms of the stomach and intestines.
Thanks to its composition, Corvalol is widely used to eliminate a number of painful symptoms. However, thanks to the same components, it cannot be used in a number of cases:
- Pregnancy. The components of the drug penetrate the placenta and negatively affect the formation of the fetus. They reduce blood clotting and contribute to the appearance of limb cramps in the newborn. In the first weeks of life, the baby may be very excitable and suffer from sleep disturbances. It is necessary to stop taking this medicine and its analogues in the early stages of pregnancy. The attending physician will help you choose a less toxic medicine for the expectant mother.
- Lactation.
- Severe liver and kidney failure.
- Chronic alcoholism.
- Age up to 18 years.
- Epilepsy and traumatic brain injury.
Harm from Corvalol may occur if you take it if there are contraindications. The drug (regardless of the release form) should not be taken if:
- allergy to the composition of the medication;
- liver and kidney dysfunction;
- the period of gestation and breastfeeding.
If a woman takes Corvalol during lactation, then she needs to switch the baby to artificial feeding.
When returning to breastfeeding, it should be taken into account that phenobarbital is completely eliminated from the body within a week. Otherwise, it will cause the child to become apathetic, lethargic, or, conversely, very excited. Possible convulsions, loss of consciousness, respiratory arrest, headaches, dizziness, bradycardia or tachycardia, decrease or increase in temperature, miosis, nystagmus, hypotension, cyanosis, shortness of breath, decreased daytime diuresis.
Due to the phenobarbital contained in Corvalol, for a breastfed baby, it can cause drug dependence. And ethanol can cause low birth weight in a child and mental retardation.
Drops are contraindicated:
- patients with skull and brain injuries;
- patients with central nervous system pathologies;
- persons suffering from alcohol addiction, including those who have undergone successful treatment for alcoholism.
The tablets contain milk sugar, so they are contraindicated if the patient is diagnosed with the following pathologies:
- lack of enzyme that breaks down milk sugar;
- impaired absorption of dextrose and galactose;
- hypolactasemia.
In pediatrics, Corvalol tablets are not used for children due to lack of treatment experience.
Corvalol is prescribed in combination with other drugs and is an auxiliary drug. Often used once to lower blood pressure. Your doctor may also prescribe a course of treatment with the drug.
Indications for use:
- Hypertensive attack.
- Migraine.
- Stressful state.
- Vegetative-vascular dystonia.
- Panic attacks.
- Limb spasms.
- Neuroses.
- Sleep disorders.
- Arrhythmia.
Despite the fact that the drug has been used for more than 60 years, it has many contraindications.
The medicine is prescribed by the attending physician. When self-medicating, it is difficult to determine whether there is a history of diseases that limit the use of the drug.
Contraindications:
- depression;
- alcohol addiction;
- liver dysfunction;
- renal dysfunction;
- pregnancy;
- lactation;
- depressive states.
Corvalol, Valocordin and other analogs cannot be used if you are intolerant to the components of the product. For children under 18 years of age, the drug is prescribed only when absolutely necessary. It is strictly forbidden to take medicine if you have low blood pressure.
Corvalol is prescribed as a sedative and vasodilator for the following indications: sinus tachycardia, cardialgia, high blood pressure, insomnia, vegetative lability, neurotic conditions, hypochondriacal syndrome, irritability.
Intestinal and biliary colic is another indication for Corvalol, due to its antispasmodic effect.
According to the instructions, Corvalol should not be prescribed for severe renal or hepatic insufficiency, during lactation, or hypersensitivity. During pregnancy, the drug is used with caution.
During therapy, extreme caution should be exercised when driving, operating machinery, or engaging in activities that require quick reaction and concentration.
Other Adverse Effects
Self-medication with Corvalol can mask the symptoms of more serious diseases, such as cancer. The components of the drug cannot be called beneficial to health. In addition, the drug may have a pronounced placebo effect. On the one hand, this is good and increases its effectiveness. On the other hand, patients stop taking medications that are really necessary for diseases of the cardiovascular system. Patient adherence to treatment is a big problem in cardiology.
Yes, perhaps they act more slowly and do not bring relief immediately, but it is their use that increases life expectancy and reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes (statins, antihypertensive drugs, antiplatelet agents). Because they act on the mechanisms of disease development, and do not simply mask the symptoms.
Corvalol drops at night can become for an elderly person an imaginary concern for their health and a ritual of self-soothing. Then, if symptoms intensify or new ones appear, he does not go for examination, but simply increases the dose. This is especially true for residents of areas with low access to medical care.
How to take the drug correctly?
Drops are intended for oral administration. The medicine is first diluted with water. According to the instructions for use for Corvalol drops, it is known that a single dosage of the medicine varies from fifteen to twenty-five drops three times a day. If necessary, under the supervision of a medical specialist, the dose of the drug can be increased to fifty drops. How much Corvalol can be consumed per day by patients over the age of twelve? A single dose for them should not exceed fifteen drops.
The duration of therapy with Corvalol is determined by the doctor on an individual basis.
Habituation and Dependence
Addiction to frequent uncontrolled use often causes addiction and dependence. Phenobarbital has an accumulation effect in the body. Also, over time, with long-term use, the body’s sensitivity to the previous dose decreases and the person begins to gradually increase it, since he does not receive relief as before.
A person cannot stop taking it on his own, as a strong withdrawal syndrome develops. In mild cases, withdrawal syndrome is manifested by anxiety, tremors, increasing weakness throughout the body, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbance, dizziness, and the development of fainting. In severe cases, convulsions and delirium are possible.
