Validol is a product that is available in every home medicine cabinet due to its availability, low price and effectiveness, proven over decades. It relieves pain in the heart area well, soothes and improves sleep. But few people know about the effect of the drug on blood pressure (BP), although now half of the people suffer from manifestations of hypertension. Does Validol lower or increase blood pressure, what is the composition of the tablets, is it possible to drink it for hypertension and hypotension - today all your questions will be answered.
What does Validol help with?
Many people know about the effect of the drug, but self-medication is not recommended. A doctor's consultation is required before use.
Most often, Validol is prescribed in the presence of the following conditions and diseases:
- cardialgia;
- angina pectoris;
- disruption of the central nervous system;
- states of hysteria;
- headaches caused by the use of nitrates.
It is also effective against motion sickness. This condition is manifested by nausea and vomiting.
conclusions
Tachycardia is one of the most common heart rhythm disorders. It is a normal response to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of adrenaline. At the same time, this is a common symptom of psychosomatic diseases such as vegetative-vascular dystonia and neurasthenia. This condition often occurs during pregnancy.
“Validol” for common palpitations is the most popular remedy due to its cheapness and the absence of side effects and serious contraindications. However, doctors often doubt its effectiveness. In any case, before taking any drug, you should consult a doctor, because only he can really determine the need for a specific prescription.
How to take Validol tablets
Before using the medicine, you should conduct a test that will help determine the body's reaction to the constituent substances. This will also allow you to determine how many tablets you can take per day without harm to the body.
The instructions indicate that the tablets should be placed under the tongue. They do not need to be swallowed or split, but kept until completely absorbed. The maximum dose is 10 tablets per day. The average duration of treatment is a week. If after taking it for 7-10 minutes no effect is achieved, then you should think about taking other medications.
What effect does the drug have?
“Validol” is one of the most common drugs in our country, which is used not only for palpitations, but also for other arrhythmias, as well as for the relief of angina pectoris, headaches while taking “Nitroglycerin”, as a sedative for neurasthenia, vegetative-vascular dystonia and even with insect bites.
Actually, “Validol” is a trade name. The active ingredient is menthol dissolved in isovaleric acid methyl ester.
"Validol" belongs to the group of reflex vasodilators. The molecules of the substance, when they enter special chemical receptors in the oral mucosa, have a stimulating effect. As a result, the processes of synthesis of so-called “pleasure hormones” – endorphins, dynorphins, enkephalins – are activated in the brain. They have a calming effect on the nervous system, thereby reducing pulse and blood pressure.
Also, under the influence of the irritating effect of Validol, other biologically active substances are released, for example, histamine and kinins. One of their main effects is vasodilation, which helps relieve angina attacks.
"Validol" is absorbed under the tongue (sublingually), so its effect begins within a few minutes. For adults, a single dose is 1-2 tablets; you can take 4 tablets per day. and more. If a therapeutic effect is not observed, it is necessary to choose another drug.
How to use Validol drops
The medicine in the form of drops is used by placing it under the tongue. 5-6 drops per day are enough, which must be diluted in advance in a weak sugar solution. If necessary, the dosage can be increased only as directed by a specialist.
If the desired result is not achieved after taking it, the doctor may advise switching to an analogue or prescribing the additional use of other drugs.
The medicine in any form can be used with other drugs. Sometimes the parallel use of Validol and drugs with sedative effects can enhance the effect of the latter.
Composition of the drug
To find out exactly how Validol affects blood pressure, whether it helps to increase or decrease it, you need to know about the composition of the drug. It includes two active components:
- Valerian. Indicated for insomnia, increased nervous overload, fatigue, imbalance. The valerian herb itself contains useful organic acids that help eliminate the listed symptoms - formic, malic, palmitic, acetic and stearic.
- Menthol. Being in the composition of the drug in the form of valerian herb ether, menthol helps to calm down, get rid of causeless anxiety, irritability and emotional stress. Due to its dilating effect on the coronary vessels, the component is also an antispasmodic. Eliminates headaches and smooth muscle spasms.
Such a simple composition and low cost of the drug make it a safe, reliable remedy, and Validol has a minimal number of side effects. However, despite the harmlessness of the drug, like any other medicine, it is better to use it after consultation with your doctor.
Contraindications
Consultation with a specialist is necessary to ensure there are no contraindications. These include:
- excessive sensitivity to the constituent elements;
- tendency to develop allergies;
- myocardial infarction;
- arterial hypotension;
- age up to 18 years.
People who suffer from diabetes should take it with caution. If it is not possible to refuse taking it, then you need to regularly monitor the patient’s condition and even with minor deterioration you should consult a doctor.
Indications and contraindications for use
According to the instructions, Validol can be used for the following pathological conditions of the body:
- prolonged stress and emotional overload that provoked neurotic disorders;
- attacks of hysterics at moments of excessive emotional stress, manifested by uncontrollable laughter, screaming, crying;
- aching pain in the heart area of unknown etiology;
- seasickness (motion sickness on an airplane, car, ship);
- narrowing of blood vessels, headaches and deterioration of health during exacerbation of hypertension.
Taking the drug is not recommended for patients with signs of myocardial infarction, respiratory failure and bronchial asthma. Also, the tablets should not be taken by children and patients who have hypersensitivity to valerian and menthol.
If a person experiences long-term aching pain behind the sternum and wants to reduce it by using Validol, there is a danger of developing the opposite effect
A “steal” effect occurs when dilation of peripheral capillaries causes insufficient blood flow to the coronary artery. As a result, there is a risk of myocardial necrosis, and chest pain often indicates a pre-infarction condition. Therefore, in such a situation, Validol will have the opposite effect.
Arrhythmia
Dear Doctor! I suffered a heart attack 1.5 years ago. They put a stent in me and opened an artery that was 99% closed. After installing the stent, the artery was 100% open. Before the heart attack, I suffered from atrial fibrillation, but its type was not determined, because It is impossible to do an ECG during an arrhythmia. After a heart attack, a month later the arrhythmia reappeared. The doctor prescribed Cardilok, initially 2.5 mg, when I took it my heart rate began to drop to 39-40 beats per minute. The doctor reduced the dose to 1.25, after a while time, the pulse again became low to 40 beats per minute. Now the doctor suggested further reducing the dose to half of 1.25. However, the arrhythmia itself does not go away and appears periodically. I feel it instantly and take VALIDOL. Validol, as a rule, relieves the arrhythmia for me, but does not eliminate from it for good. I noticed that arrhythmia appears after caffeinated coffee, caffeinated tea, chocolate, alcoholic drinks, as well as after high stress during the day or from nervous experiences, excitement. Sometimes from the cold, but not always and if I’m lying down on the left side. Due to arrhythmia, my quality of life has decreased. My heart almost doesn’t hurt after a heart attack, I can tolerate exercise on exercise machines well, but before training I take validol or menthol candy. Question: Is it possible to get rid of arrhythmia or is this a lifelong problem? Is that correct? I do it by taking VALIDOL, because sometimes I take it several times a day. Doesn’t the body get used to it? In addition, I take asririn 100 mg, lepidor (for cholesterol) 20 mg, and Triteis (for blood pressure) 0.25 mg. The pressure is low (100-110x 70-80, but there are jumps up to 140x85-90. What can you advise me? Thanks in advance.
Hello, dear doctor! My name is Olesya, I'm 29 years old, tall and thin. About 6 years ago, an ECG was done, the conclusion was: hypoxia of the lower wall of the left ventricular myocardium. No treatment was prescribed. A few weeks ago I began to suffer from constant pain in my back, left shoulder blade, left side of my chest, and sometimes in my neck. It hurts, it chews, it aches. I went to the therapist, they did an ECG, the conclusion was: ischemia of the lower wall of the left ventricular myocardium. They did an ultrasound of the heart, in general everything was normal, without any special features.
Hello, for the last two years I have been experiencing very strong pains in the heart, of a completely different nature, sometimes acute pain, sometimes a feeling of constriction, suddenly it becomes cold, there is also a feeling as if the heart is being strongly squeezed or stretched. I have been checked more than once, doctors blame everything on goiter, either endocrine or diffuse, there are no definite answers. According to the doctors, blood tests and ECG are normal, except that there are more leukocytes than necessary. and the ECG shows sinus tachycardia, it seems.
EXTRASYSTOLES
Extrasystoles are a type of heart rhythm disturbance (see Arrhythmias), in which extraordinary premature single or repeated contractions of the heart occur.
Causes. Extrasystoles arise due to the generation of impulses outside their usual source (sinus node). This can occur with various myocardial diseases: myocarditis, coronary heart disease. acute myocardial infarction. cardiomyopathies. toxic damage to the heart (for example, due to alcohol abuse), etc. In addition, extrasystoles often occur during emotional stress, fatigue, and in other cases, being a manifestation of neuro-circulatory dystonia. cardialgia. Extrasystole can appear with diseases of the abdominal organs: with exacerbation of cholecystitis, stomach diseases, with overeating.
Kinds. Extrasystoles are distinguished according to the place of origin of the extraordinary impulse: atrial, ventricular and from the atrioventricular junction. There are rare (less than 5 in 1 minute) and frequent, single and group (several extrasystoles in a row) extrasystoles.
Symptoms Sometimes extrasystoles are not subjectively perceived by a person. Usually, extrasystoles are manifested by a feeling of interruptions in the work of the heart, “failures,” “fading,” and unpleasant pulsation. When counting the pulse rate, its irregularity with the appearance of long intervals is revealed. Extrasystole can occur during physical exertion (more often with myocardial diseases), with a rise in blood pressure or, conversely, at rest (usually not associated with heart damage).
The prognosis of extrasystole is determined by the underlying disease that caused the extrasystole. In neurocirculatory dystonia and many cardialgia, extrasystoles do not pose a threat to health, especially if they are rare. In case of coronary heart disease, especially acute myocardial infarction, extrasystoles may indicate oxygen starvation of the heart muscle and require urgent measures. Frequent and group extrasystoles are especially dangerous. In any case, only a doctor can determine the cause of extrasystole and prescribe treatment.
Diagnosis of extrasystoles is carried out using electrocardiography. and echocardiography and other methods help to establish the cause of extrasystoles. Sometimes Holter monitoring is used - a multi-hour recording of an electrocardiogram using a recording device constantly worn by the patient.
Treatment is carried out by a doctor. You can independently use sedatives (valerian, motherwort), Corvalol - 15-20 drops (Valocordin), Validol (1 tablet on the tongue), Votchal drops (10-20 drops), Panangin - 1 tablet.
Prevention comes down to treating the underlying disease.
Validol and hypotension
The human condition with low blood pressure (scientifically hypotension or vegetative-vascular dystonia) is characterized by increased sweating, pale skin, weakness, weather sensitivity and malaise. During a drop in blood pressure, the tonometer shows marks of 90/60, 80/50, which forces the patient to look for means to improve the condition.
In such a situation, taking Validol will have the opposite effect, because it dilates blood vessels, calms you down, and after taking it makes you fall asleep. But a hypotensive person needs the opposite effect - increasing blood pressure, normalizing the pulse and receiving a boost of energy. It becomes obvious that taking Validol for hypotension is not only pointless, but also dangerous:
- blood ceases to fully supply the brain;
- the vessels dilate even more, causing a lack of oxygen;
- the general tone of the body decreases, the pressure drops even more.
Such a sedative effect will not help a hypotensive patient, but will only complicate his condition. Therefore, with low blood pressure, it is better to use caffeine-based drugs - Citramon, Caffeine, Etimizol, Cordiamin.