Indications for use of Betahistine and what do the tablets help with?

Betahistine is a histamine receptor antagonist. Instructions for use will show you how to properly take 8 mg, 16 mg and 24 mg tablets for the treatment of dizziness, headaches and Meniere's syndrome. What Betagistine helps with, information on prices, analogues and patient reviews will also be presented in the article.

Release form and composition

Betahistine is produced in the form of tablets that are taken orally. Each tablet for dizziness is round in shape and colored whitish-yellow.

Original packages from different manufacturers contain 20 or 30 doses, as well as official instructions, which are approved in Russia.

• Tablets are flat-cylindrical, round, white, marked with the dose of the active substance (8 mg).
• The tablets are oblong, biconvex with rounded edges, with markings applied to the surface indicating the dose of the active substance - 16 and 24 mg, respectively.

The main active ingredient is betahistine dihydrochloride.

Why is Betahistine prescribed?

Tablets are prescribed for problems with the vestibular apparatus, that is, vestibular vertigo. Moreover, it is prescribed both for treatment and for preventive purposes.

This drug is used for Meniere's syndrome or disease, hearing loss, dizziness, tinnitus, headache, vomiting, nausea.

After taking the tablets, the maximum concentration in the blood is observed three hours later. The drug is excreted by the kidneys within 24 hours; the half-life is four hours.

pharmachologic effect

The drug Betahistine, which helps with coordination problems, is a synthetic analogue of histamine and exhibits a histamine-like effect. Betahistine is a partial agonist of histamine H1- and antagonist of H3-histamine receptors of the inner ear and vestibular nuclei of the central nervous system.

Improves microcirculation and permeability of capillaries of the inner ear, increases blood flow in the basilar arteries, normalizes endolymph pressure in the labyrinth and cochlea. Normalizes transmitter transmission in neurons of the medial nuclei of the vestibular nerve at the level of the bridge of the brain stem.

As a result, disorders of the vestibular apparatus and cochlear disorders are normalized, the frequency and intensity of dizziness are reduced, noise and ringing in the ears are reduced, and hearing improves.

Improvement in acute vestibular disorders is observed already in the first days of treatment with betahistine. A stable therapeutic effect is achieved within 2 weeks of taking the drug and can increase when taking betahistine for several months. Being an inhibitor of H3 receptors of the vestibular nerve nuclei, it exhibits a pronounced central vasodilator effect.

Medical instructions for use

Betahistine must be taken strictly according to the instructions.

Dosage for adults

Anti-dizziness tablets must be taken with food or after meals at a dosage of 8 or 16 mg three times a day during the initial stage of treatment with this drug.

Maintenance doses of the drug usually range from 24 to 48 mg per day at the discretion of the attending physician. The daily dose should not exceed 48 mg. The dosage can be adjusted taking into account the individual health characteristics of patients. Sometimes improvement may only be seen after several weeks of treatment.

Treatment of patients with liver, kidney and heart failure

For patients with liver failure, treatment with Betahistine should be prescribed after a thorough study. Treatment of patients with renal and heart failure is also prescribed.

Treatment of elderly patients

In old age, Betahistine should be used with caution, since in this population group there is a high probability of negative reactions from the body to the active and auxiliary substances included in the medicine.

Instructions for use for children and adolescents

Betahistine tablets are not recommended for use in children and adolescents under the age of 18 due to the lack of data on the safety and effectiveness of the drug.

Synonyms of nosological groups

The instructions for the drug contain standard doses of the drug, but the final treatment regimen that must be followed for the period of treatment can only be prescribed by a doctor.

for adults

The tablets should be taken during meals with plenty of water. The standard dose of the medicine is 1 tablet 2 - 3 times a day. The dosage of the medicine and the frequency of administration depend on the dose of the drug. Therapy is determined individually. According to the observations of doctors, the effect after taking the tablets is observed within 1 – 2 weeks.

for children

The instructions for the drug do not contain doses for children, since the drug is contraindicated under 18 years of age.

Cases of drug overdose have not been recorded, but still, if the dose of the drug is exceeded, the patient may experience nausea, vomiting, increased drowsiness, decreased hearing and visual acuity. If such symptoms appear, you need to rinse your stomach and take a sorbent drug. If the patient's condition worsens, an ambulance should be called.

Symptoms: abdominal pain, nausea, drowsiness (when taking up to 640 mg of the drug), cardiopulmonary complications, convulsions (when taking more than 640 mg of betahistine, or in combination with other drugs).

Treatment: symptomatic.

Period of pregnancy or breastfeeding;

Individual hypersensitivity, intolerance or allergic reactions to any components of the drug.

The drug should be used with caution if a person has bronchial asthma or a history of gastric or duodenal ulcers. These diseases are not absolute contraindications, but if they are present, the person’s condition should be carefully monitored by a doctor during the entire period of using Betaserc.

Read also: Why is Motilium prescribed? Instructions for medical use, reviews and analogues, price in pharmacies

Side effects

From the gastrointestinal tract:

nausea and dyspepsia, minor stomach upsets (vomiting, gastrointestinal pain, bloating and flatulence).

These side effects usually go away when the drug is taken with food or when the dose is reduced.

From the nervous system:

headache.

From the immune system:

hypersensitivity reactions, such as anaphylaxis.

From the skin and subcutaneous tissue:

hypersensitivity reactions of the skin and subcutaneous fat were observed, in particular angioedema, rash, itching and urticaria.

Use during pregnancy and lactation

There is no proven data on the safety of the drug for pregnant women, since no special studies have been conducted in women. The potential threat to the formation and development of the child has not yet been determined. For this reason, Betahistine is prohibited for use in women. In particularly difficult cases, it may be prescribed in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.

Breastfeeding women should also not be treated with Betagisitn, since it is unknown whether the active substance passes into milk or not. The question of prescribing medication should be decided after analyzing the benefits of breastfeeding for the child and the possible threat to his health.

Analogs

1. Asniton;
2. Betaver;
3. Betahistine hydrochloride;
4. Betahistine dihydrochloride;
5. Betaserc;
6. Betacentrin;
7. Vasoserc;
8. Vestibo;
9. Westicap;
10. Denoise;
11. Microzer;
12. Tagista.

When choosing analogues, you must remember that the instructions for use of Betahistine, price and reviews do not apply to drugs of similar effect. Replacing the drug is permissible only after the recommendation of a doctor.

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity to any of the components of the drug. Pheochromocytoma.

Interaction with other drugs and other types of interactions.

In vivo studies

There were no studies aimed at studying interactions with other drugs.
in vitro
data, inhibition of cytochrome P450 enzyme activity
in vivo is not expected.
Data obtained in vitro

indicate inhibition of betahistine metabolism by drugs that inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity, including MAO subtype B (for example, selegiline). Caution is recommended when using betahistine and MAO inhibitors (including selective MAO subtype B) simultaneously.

Because betahistine is a histamine analog, interaction between betahistine and antihistamines could theoretically affect the effectiveness of one of these drugs.

special instructions

If the patient has a history of duodenal or gastric ulcer, as well as bronchial asthma, pheochromocytoma, taking Betagistine tablets must be carried out under the constant supervision of specialists.

This medicine is not recommended for use in children under 18 years of age. This is due to the fact that there is no reliable data on the positive effects of using the drug at this age.

Betahistine should not be prescribed to pregnant women or breastfeeding women. If there is an urgent need for a woman to take it during lactation, breastfeeding must be stopped. You can resume feeding after complete discontinuation of the drug.

Betagistine tablets are not able to influence the patient’s reaction and memory, and also do not have a hypnotic effect. For this reason, they are not contraindicated for drivers and persons engaged in potentially hazardous activities that require quick reaction.

Interaction

Cases of interaction or incompatibility with other drugs are unknown.

There are no known cases of incompatibility or interaction of betahistine with other drugs.

Betahistine can be used in complex therapy with other topical or internal medications. However, if there is a history of chronic diseases, or the person is constantly taking other medications, this should be reported to the doctor.

The drug has proven to be highly effective in relieving headaches, so taking it allows you to reduce the number of painkillers. This drug is not addictive and does not have a toxic effect on the body, but the medicine should be used only as prescribed by a doctor.

What do the reviews say?

As is the case with all medications, reviews of Betagistine are not always positive. On specialized forums you can often find reviews about the drug that indicate that the effect is not always stable.

Therefore, most people suffering from chronic disorders of the cardiovascular system are forced to resort to taking these pills regularly. But this does not guarantee relief from headaches and dizziness.

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Overdose

There are several known cases of drug overdose. Some patients experienced mild to moderate symptoms (nausea, drowsiness, abdominal pain) after taking the drug in doses up to 640 mg. More serious complications (convulsions, cardiopulmonary complications) have been observed with deliberate use of increased doses of betahistine, especially in combination with overdose of other drugs.

Treatment of overdose

should include standard supportive measures.