Citramon and Citramon P, Ultra, Lect - how they differ

Description of composition, release form

Doctors often prescribe Citramon for headaches. The analgesic helps quickly. Rarely causes side effects. The effectiveness of the tablets is due to the combined composition, which includes the following components:

• acetylsalicylic acid;
• caffeine;
• paracetamol.

The excipients are citric acid, cocoa, talc, potato starch and calcium stearate.

The tablets have a flat-cylindrical shape, a light brown tint and minor inclusions. When taken, the taste of cocoa is felt. The pills have marks and chamfers. The tablets are packaged in 6 or 10 pieces in paper cellless or aluminum cell blisters. A cardboard box may contain 10, 20 or 30 pills and instructions for use.

The medicine is stored in a dry place, protected from children and exposure to sunlight. Storage temperature should not exceed +25 °C.

The shelf life of the drug is four years. After this time, the medicine should not be used.

Similarities of drugs

The unconditional similarity of all drugs is their composition. In all of them, the content of active ingredients is present in the following concentration:

• contains the most aspirin – 0.24 g;
• also quite a lot of paracetamol - 0.18 g;
• and very little caffeine – 0.03 g.

It is this combination of these ingredients that allows you to relieve pain, relieve inflammation, and also have a slight psychostimulating effect.

All medications are available in the form of light brown tablets. They have a characteristic smell of cocoa and are heterogeneous in color (there are inclusions of a darker color).

Pharmacological properties of the drug

"Citramon" for headaches has a complex effect on the body. It not only relieves pain, but also relieves fever and inflammation. The drug has low toxicity, which is why side effects rarely occur.

Acetylsalicylic acid contained in Citramon relieves pain and helps relieve fever. Fights inflammation. Characterized by antioxidant properties. Increases the body's resistance. Well tolerated by patients.

Paracetamol has antipyretic and analgesic properties. Has a weak anti-inflammatory effect. Affects the central part of thermoregulation, located in the hypothalamus. The substance has a minor effect on Pg inhibition, which occurs in the peripheral tissues of the body.

Caffeine increases the excitability of spinal cord reflexes. Promotes stimulation of the respiratory and vasomotor center. Affects the expansion of blood vessels. Reduces platelet aggregation. Reduces drowsiness in patients and eliminates the feeling of fatigue. Positively affects physical and mental activity.

Citramon contains caffeine in a small dose, so it does not affect the functioning of the central nervous system. But this amount is enough to stabilize the tone of cerebral vessels and stimulate blood flow.

How does citramon affect blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the pressure that is created in our blood vessels and, in particular, in the arteries.
This pressure is necessary for blood to be able to move through the circulatory system. If the pressure is low, then the blood moves too slowly and, accordingly, transports the substances and oxygen needed by the body more slowly. As a result: the body, as a rule, is cold, hungry, and a headache develops from lack of oxygen and vascular spasm.

If the pressure is high, then the blood moves unnaturally quickly, a large load is placed on the heart, the person becomes hot, there is tinnitus, pulsation in the temporal region. Excessive stress on blood vessels provokes headaches.

Blood pressure, as you know, has two indicators: systolic and diastolic. Systolic pressure is the pressure in the blood vessels that occurs when the heart contracts and pushes blood into the circulatory system. Diastolic pressure is a measure of the pressure at the moment when the heart relaxes after systole. Thus, a blood pressure of 120/80 means that a person's blood pressure at the time of heartbeat is 120 mmHg. Art., and at the moment of cardiac relaxation - 80 mm Hg. Art.

We’ll talk further about how citramon affects blood pressure.

Due to caffeine, citramon enhances excitation processes in the brain, accelerates positive conditioned reflexes and stimulates motor activity. The result is an increase in mental and physical capabilities, eliminating the feeling of drowsiness and fatigue.

The degree of action of citramone on blood pressure is somewhat dependent on the characteristics of individual nervous activity. For example, in a state of collapse and shock, blood pressure indicators under the influence of citramone increase significantly. With stable normal indicators, significant changes may not be observed, since, together with an increase in vascular tone and acceleration of heart function, the drug expands the lumen of the blood vessels of the brain, heart, urinary system, skeletal muscles, etc. This to some extent compensates for the increase in pressure, but not completely: along with the expansion of the above vessels, those vessels that are located in the abdominal organs narrow.

The effect of citramon on blood pressure may also depend on the adaptation of a particular organism to the effects of caffeine. If a person regularly drinks caffeinated drinks (coffee, strong tea, cola, energy drinks), then his body’s tolerance increases. As a result, blood pressure can remain stable even when consuming 200-400 mg of caffeine per day. But people who are intolerant to caffeine may develop signs of overdose with as little as 100 mg of caffeine per day.

When is the medicine not prescribed?

Despite the fact that the medication is well tolerated by patients, it should be avoided in case of hypersensitivity to the substances contained in the tablets. It is forbidden to take the medication if you have a stomach or duodenal ulcer. Contraindications include gastrointestinal bleeding, kidney and liver diseases. Tablets are not prescribed for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. Glaucoma, asthma, renal failure and a tendency to bleeding are prohibited from taking pills. The medicine is not used for attacks of bronchial obstruction and urticaria. It should not be used for acute rhinitis with a history of development caused by the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetylsalicylic acid.

It is forbidden to take tablets for hemophilia, hypertension, hemorrhagic diathesis and hypoprothrombinemia. A contraindication is a lack or excess of potassium in the body. The drug is prohibited for coronary heart disease, excessive excitability, insomnia and during surgery when bleeding occurs.

Can pregnant women take Citramon for headaches? The drug is allowed to be taken in the second trimester and after consultation with a gynecologist. In the first and third trimesters, the drug is strictly prohibited.

Children should not drink Citramon if they have a headache. It is prescribed to patients from the age of 15. At an earlier age, the medicine can provoke Reye's syndrome.

Prescribe tablets with caution to elderly people and people with impaired renal and hepatic function. Patients with gout, coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus and persons suffering from peripheral arterial disease. Smokers should be careful.

Contraindications for use

Restrictions associated with the use of the product contain a fairly large list of disorders and diseases:

• nasal polyposis;
• bronchial asthma;
• hypersensitivity to one or more components;
• bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract;
• diathesis of hemorrhagic type;
• erosion, ulcer of the gastrointestinal tract (in the acute stage);
• portal hypertension"
• severe course of coronary heart disease;
• hemophilia;
• renal failure;
• increased nervous excitability;
• kidney failure;
• sleep problems;
• bleeding during operations;
• severe hypertension;
• glaucoma;
• simultaneous use of anticoagulant drugs;
• aortic aneurysm;
• pregnancy period (especially during the 1st and 3rd trimesters);
• feeding period (any stage);
• children up to 15 years old inclusive.

There are also relative contraindications in which Citramon should be taken with caution. These are liver dysfunctions, as well as gout.

Mode of application

Tablets for headaches "Citramon" are taken orally after meals. A single dose is 1-2 pills. The drug is taken one to three times a day. The maximum allowed limit is six tablets. The break between taking the medication should be at least six hours.

The instructions for Citramon for headaches warn that in the presence of liver and kidney diseases, the interval between taking the medicine is at least eight hours.

If the tablets are used as an analgesic, the course of treatment does not exceed five days. If the drug is taken as an antipyretic, it should be used for no more than three days. This applies to cases when the medicine is used independently, without a doctor's prescription. In other situations, the dosage and duration of treatment is prescribed by the doctor.

Citramon effect

Citramon is an analgesic, antipyretic and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The action of Citramon is due to 3 active ingredients present in its composition: paracetamol, ASA, caffeine:

• Paracetamol. This is a substance similar to NSAIDs. It does not have a significant anti-inflammatory effect, but is effective in relieving pain and reducing fever.
• ASK. Relates directly to NSAIDs, acts anti-inflammatory, relieves pain. In the body, ASA is capable of blocking the enzyme cyclooxygenase. This enzyme is important for the formation of cytokines, substances responsible for the development of inflammation. In addition, cyclooxygenase is important for the formation of thromboxane in platelets. Thromboxane is a compound essential for proper platelet and blood function. Other NSAID drugs do not inhibit the production of thromboxane and do not affect blood clotting. This is the main disadvantage of ASA.
• Caffeine. Suppresses symptoms of fatigue, supports brain activity and physical performance. Caffeine prolongs the onset of the effect of other components and enhances their effect.

This combination of active substances provides the drug with an additive effect as an analgesic and antipyretic agent. That is, after taking it, not only does the headache go away, but the temperature also decreases. Consequently, the combination of 3 active substances reduces the number of drugs that need to be taken to eliminate pain.

What does Citramon help with:

• Pain relief. The perception of pain is mediated by cytokines. By inhibiting their work, the medicine reduces discomfort. It is recommended to take the drug for pain in the head, teeth, joints, muscles, etc. It is the elimination of pain that is the most common reason for using Citramon.
• Decrease in temperature. Citramon can also be taken as an antipyretic, although some other NSAID medications reduce body temperature more effectively.
• Anticoagulant effect on blood. ASA is commonly used in conditions where blood clot prevention is needed. This substance, for example, is part of first aid for myocardial infarction, when a blood vessel is blocked by a clot. Although Citramon is not an analogue of, for example, Warfarin, several tablets can help stop the growth of a clot, thereby facilitating its removal and restoring blood flow through the vessel.

Side effects, overdose

If you use Citramon frequently for headaches, there is a risk of side effects. These include allergic skin rashes, itching, dizziness, stomach pain, vomiting, nausea, rapid heartbeat, and tinnitus.

High doses of the drug can cause problems with the functioning of the liver and kidneys, increase blood pressure, provoke nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity, ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, tachycardia, bronchospasm, deafness, Reye's syndrome in children.

If any negative reactions occur, you should inform your doctor and stop taking the drug.

If the recommended dose is exceeded, symptoms of overdose may occur. These include nausea, gag reflex, ringing in the ears, pain in the stomach, and dizziness. In severe cases of intoxication, lethargy, limb cramps, drowsiness, bleeding, collapse, anuria, and bronchospasm appear. With the development of intoxication, respiratory paralysis and respiratory acidosis are possible.

If these symptoms appear, you should urgently seek medical help, do a gastric lavage and take activated charcoal.

Instructions for use of the drug

If we talk about how to take Citramon, it is recommended that you first read the manufacturer’s instructions. It is not universal, because medicine of this type is now produced by many pharmaceutical companies, and therefore the principles of taking the drug, dosage, and timing may differ. It is also recommended to consult a doctor on this issue, if possible.

Basic recommendations for admission are as follows:

• It is recommended to drink Citramon after meals (it is best to take it with a small amount of water). Speaking about how many tablets you can take per day, it is recommended to take 1-2 tablets every 8 hours and no more often. The maximum daily dosage is 6 tablets.
• If the drug is used to lower the temperature or increase blood pressure, it is recommended to take the medicine for no more than 3-4 days in a row. If your blood pressure remains low, you should take strong medications or consult a doctor.

Many women use Citramon during menstruation to eliminate most of the unwanted symptoms. In this case, you can count on a good therapeutic effect (especially if the pain syndrome is mild).

Pregnant women are advised to use this drug with caution, since many manufacturers prohibit drinking Citramon tablets during the 1st and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. It is also not recommended to take medicine while breastfeeding, even if your head or teeth hurt very badly. In this case, you should seek help from specialists directly, or temporarily stop breastfeeding.

Special instructions for use

The instructions do not recommend using Citramon headache tablets for children due to the high likelihood of Reye's syndrome. Symptoms of the disease include prolonged vomiting, liver enlargement, and encephalopathy.

Acetylsalicylic acid in the drug inhibits blood clotting. This is important for patients undergoing surgery to know. You should inform your doctor about taking Citramon before surgery.

If there is a predisposition to the accumulation of uric acid, then the tablets can cause a gout attack.

When using Citramon, you should not drink alcohol, as there is a risk of gastric or intestinal bleeding. The risk of liver toxicity increases.

Citramon can be taken for headaches by pregnant women in the second trimester. In the first trimester, the drug can have a teratogenic effect on fetal development. In the third trimester, the medication will slow down labor.

The medicine passes into breast milk, so you should not use Citramon while breastfeeding.

Types of drug interactions

Before prescribing the drug, drug interactions must be taken into account. Citramon contains the active substance paracetamol, which is strictly unacceptable to combine with:

• cholestyramine;
• warfarin and other coumarins;
• barbiturates;
• phenytoin;
• carbamazepine.

The simultaneous use of the medication in question with hepatotoxic drugs should be avoided. This combination may increase the negative effects of paracetamol on the liver.

Caffeine, which is also one of the active components of the medicine in question, must be combined with extreme caution, or its combination with:

• MAO;
• opioid analgesics;
• anxiolytics;
• sleeping pills;
• sedatives;
• drugs for anesthesia;
• adenosine drugs.

At the same time, caffeine significantly enhances the effect of the use of industrial xanthine, alpha-adrenergic agonists, beta-agonists, psychostimulants and other analgesics and antipyretics.

The issue of interaction of ASA with other substances and drugs requires special attention. Undesirable and prohibited combinations are described in the table.

Important! It is strictly unacceptable to combine Citramon and alcohol! The interaction of ASA with ethyl alcohol can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding. The combination of ethanol with paracetamol can provoke severe toxic liver damage.

Interaction with medications

Citramon enhances the effects of drugs that reduce blood clotting. Causes platelet aggregation. Provokes undesirable effects when combined with glucocorticoids, non-narcotic analgesics, sulfonylurea derivatives. Increases the side effects of methotrexate and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

The drug increases the effectiveness of hypoglycemic medications and reserpine. Reduces the effects of furosemide, spironolactone, antihypertensive and anti-gout drugs that remove uric acid from the body.

Stimulators of microsomal oxidation, taken together with Citramon, enhance the formation of toxic metabolites of paracetamol. This negatively affects the liver.

Metoclopramide stimulates the absorption of paracetamol. Chloramphenicol increases the half-life of Citramon fivefold. Paracetamol can enhance the effectiveness of anticoagulants.

The combined use of paracetamol and ethanol increases the likelihood of hepatotoxic effects. Caffeine increases the absorption of ergotamine.

To avoid negative consequences, the use of medications together with Citramon should be discussed with your doctor.

Cost, analogues

"Citramon" is one of the most common and inexpensive medicines in our country. Found in every pharmacy. Its price ranges from 7 to 50 rubles.

If for some reason Citramon is not suitable for pain relief, then the following remedies will be an alternative:

• "Askofen-P";
• "Coficil-plus";
• "Aquacitramon";
• "Migrenol Extra";
• "Solpadeine";
• "Citramon Ultra".

These and other analogues act similarly to Citramon and will help eliminate pain.

Reviews from patients

Headache tablets "Citramon" are popular among people and are in everyone's medicine cabinet. Patients note the affordable price of the drug and its effectiveness. They say that quickly, in 15-30 minutes, it relieves headaches. Increases blood pressure. The medicine helps with migraines. Eliminates pain during menstruation. Gives good results for muscle and toothache.

Patients cope well with fever and inflammation during colds. Facilitates the general condition. It has no worse effect on the body than expensive products.

Among the disadvantages of the tablets, people included contraindications, such as the fact that the medicine should not be given to pregnant women and children. Some people think that the product acts too slowly. These people replaced Citramon with more effective analogues.

There are people for whom the pills caused side effects: allergic skin rashes, increased blood pressure, nausea, stomach pain.

Patients note that for severe pain, this remedy is useless, and they need to look for a stronger, more effective medicine.

What do Citramon tablets help with?

The main purpose of the drug is to relieve moderate and mild pain in the presence of concomitant diseases:

• ARVI;
• flu;
• general malaise;
• febrile syndrome;
• neuralgia;
• arthralgia;
• algodysmenorrhea;
• migraine;
• myalgia;

The drug is used to treat headaches, muscle pain, dental pain, and joint pain. "Citramon" is effective in relieving any pain that is associated with inflammatory processes. It contains several active components that mutually enhance each other's actions.

Doctors' opinion about the drug

Doctors' opinion about the drug is positive. They consider the medicine effective. They say that the analgesic effect occurs 20 minutes after its use. It is believed that Citramon is good for headaches. Especially if it is caused by low blood pressure. It is noted that the drug is also effective for other types of pain.

According to doctors, if there is no money for expensive painkillers, then Citramon can successfully replace them. It works no worse than its expensive analogues.

Doctors warn that the medication has a weak anti-inflammatory effect and will not work in treating colds. It is believed that other drugs should be used in the treatment of ARVI.

How and how much to drink Citramon

Considering that the drug contains aspirin, which cannot be taken orally on an empty stomach, Citramon is consumed only 15-20 minutes after a meal, washed down with plenty of clean water. It is not recommended to use any other liquid (tea, coffee, milk, juices). The maximum daily dose is 6 tablets. The effect of the drug will begin 30-40 minutes after administration. The next appointment is possible only after 8 hours.

Citramon is used for headaches

Experts advise not to take the drug for more than 2 weeks in a row - the components of the drug can negatively affect the condition of the gastrointestinal mucosa.