Efferalgan in tablets – indications, action, dosage, contraindications, price

Proven content

Efferalgan is a drug in the form of effervescent tablets with antipyretic and analgesic properties. The active substance of this preparation is paracetamol. The drug is suitable for adults and children weighing more than 17 kg. What are the indications for the use of Efferalgan? In what cases should it not be used? How to dose the drug? Can its use have side effects?

Efferalgan – general characteristics of the drug

Efferalgan is a drug in the form of effervescent tablets that has an analgesic and antipyretic effect. This drug effectively reduces the symptoms of colds, flu-related conditions, fever, but also reduces toothache, headache, menstrual pain and neuralgia.

This drug reduces the elevated body temperature that occurs during the disease, but does not lower the normal body temperature. The active substance of Efferalgan is paracetamol. Paracetamol is less irritating to the gastric mucosa than salicylates. The drug is indicated for use in patients from the age of 6.

Efferalgan effervescent tablets are available over the counter in various packaging:

1. in a polypropylene tube closed with a stopper (PE) with a desiccant containing 6 effervescent tablets, in a cardboard box;
2. in a package containing 8 effervescent tablets – two Al / PE foil packages of 4 effervescent tablets, in a cardboard box;
3. in a package containing 16 effervescent tablets – four Al / PE foil packages of 4 effervescent tablets in a cardboard box.

The entity responsible for the production and distribution of Efferalgan is UPSA SAS. UPSA is both a company and a brand of international importance. For 85 years, UPSA has been producing medications for pain, flu-like illnesses, vitality, digestion and sleep disorders. It is a French pharmaceutical concern that is present in 60 countries around the world.

In addition, there are other preparations available on the pharmaceutical market under the name Efferalagan, whose distributors on the Polish market are:

1. Pharmapoint SA – is a specialized company supplying pharmaceutical wholesalers and pharmacies in Poland. The company was founded in 2010 and its headquarters is in Łódź;
2. Delfarma Sp. z o. o – Delfarma is a leader in parallel import. This company supplies the Polish market with cheaper drugs and thus significantly contributes to the reduction of health care costs. The Delfarma company was established in 2004 and offers over 500 drugs. The company’s head office is located in Łódź;
3. Forfarm Sp. z o. o – direct parallel importer. The company has over 400 licenses for pharmaceutical products. The company Forfarm Sp. z o. o. started its commercial activity in 2006. It is primarily a pharmaceutical wholesaler with an established position on the pharmaceutical market. The main activity of the company is trade in medicinal products under the parallel import procedure and export to licensed entities in the European Union countries. The company’s head office is located in Warsaw;
4. InPharm Sp. z oo – InPharm is a company that has been dealing with parallel import and distribution of medicinal products, medical devices and cosmetics since 2006. The company has an extensive network of suppliers throughout the European Union. The company’s headquarters is located in Warsaw.

How to recognize a cold and quickly overcome it? Check: Colds – symptoms, treatment, prevention

Efferalgan – composition and action of the drug

Efferalgan is a pain reliever and antipyretic drug, the active ingredient of which is paracetamol. Each tablet of this preparation contains 500 mg of paracetamol.

Paracetamol, also known among pharmacists as acetaminophen, is a substance that was introduced to the medicinal market in 1956 in Great Britain. Today, it is the drug that patients most often choose for pain relief. On the Polish market, there are several dozen medical products that contain paracetamol in their composition. One of them is Efferalgan.

Paracetamol is a substance that works not only to relieve pain, but also to reduce fever. The action of paracetamol takes place in the central nervous system, and the compound crosses the blood-brain barrier.

The mechanism of action of paracetamol consists in inhibiting the activity of cyclooxygenase in the brain and spinal cord. Cyclooxygenase is an enzyme responsible for the synthesis of prostaglandins.

Paracetamol differs from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in that it does not have an anti-inflammatory effect. This compound does not inhibit platelet aggregation and does not affect the coagulation process.

Paracetamol is used for pain of any nature. The most common are:

1. headaches; 
2. toothache
3. pain in muscles, bones and joints;
4. menstrual cramps;
5. nerwobóle 

After oral administration, paracetamol is well and quickly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, mainly in the small intestine. The maximum concentration in the blood is obtained within 30–120 minutes after oral ingestion of the preparation. The analgesic effect lasts 4-6 hours and the antipyretic effect lasts 6-8 hours.

Paracetamol penetrates into body fluids and internal organs and is bound to plasma proteins in about 25%. This drug is metabolized in the liver. It is excreted from the body in the urine in the form of glucuronides and sulphates and after conjugation with cysteine.

The other ingredients of Efferalgan are citric acid anhydrous, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate anhydrous, sorbitol, sodium docusate, povidone, sodium saccharin and sodium benzoate.

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Efferalgan – indications for the use of the drug

Efferalgan is primarily a pain reliever and antipyretic drug. The indications for its use are:

1. pain of various origins – headache, toothache, joint pain, muscle pain, menstrual pain, neuralgia and others;
2. symptomatic treatment of flu-like conditions and colds;
3. fever.

What are the causes of fever and how can you combat it? Read: Fever – causes, types, antipyretic drugs. Home remedies for fever

Efferalgan – contraindications to the use of the drug

Efferalgan, despite its effectiveness in reducing the symptoms of flu or colds, cannot be used by all patients who suffer from such ailments.

Contraindications to the use of the drug Efferalgan are:

1. allergic (hypersensitive) to paracetamol or any of the other ingredients of Efferalgan;
2. severe liver failure or active decompensated liver disease;
3. glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency;
4. simultaneous treatment with MAO inhibitors (drugs used, among others, in depression) and for up to 14 days after the end of this treatment;
5. simultaneous use of agonist-antagonist analgesics: buprenorphine, nalbuphine, pentazocine;
6. patient’s age – do not use in children under 6 years of age;
7. pregnancy – do not use in women in the first trimester of pregnancy.

How to distinguish symptoms of a cold from an omicron infection? Check: Omicron and colds – how to distinguish symptoms? The doctor explains

Efferalgan – precautions

Before and during the use of Efferalgan, follow the precautions included in the package leaflet.

Precautions to be aware of have:

1. paracetamol should be used while taking into account the simultaneous use of other drugs containing paracetamol (including those on prescription or over the counter), so as not to use a higher daily dose than recommended;
2. Do not use doses higher than recommended. There is a risk of very severe liver damage when doses higher than those recommended are used. Injury symptoms usually appear one to two days after paracetamol overdose, with maximum severity usually occurring after 3-4 days;
3. paracetamol can cause severe skin reactions such as acute generalized pustular eruption, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis, which may be fatal. 

In addition, special precautions while using Efferalgan should be taken in cases of:

1. liver problems, including Gilbert’s syndrome (familial hyperbilirubinemia);
2. renal dysfunction;
3. alcoholism or excessive alcohol consumption (consumption of 3 or more alcoholic beverages daily);
4. anorexia, bulimia or cachexia;
5. long-term malnutrition;
6. low hepatic glutathione reserves associated with e.g. eating disorders, cystic fibrosis, HIV infection, in fasting or debilitated patients, with sepsis;
7. dehydration of the body;
8. hypovolemia – reduced circulating blood volume. 

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Efferalgan – dosage and method of use

Always use Efferalgan exactly as described in the package leaflet or as directed by your doctor or pharmacist.

The dose of Efferalgan is determined on the basis of the patient’s body weight. Regular use prevents periodic worsening of pain or fever: in children, a regular interval between doses during the day and night should be maintained, in adults not less than 4 hours. In adults, do not use without a doctor’s recommendation for more than 5 days (in pain), 3 days (colds and flu, fever), in children and adolescents not longer than 3 days;

Correct dosage of Efferalgan have:

1. adults and adolescents weighing more than 50 kg (over 15 years of age): the recommended single dose of 10 to 15 mg / kg of body weight every 4 to 6 hours: 1 or 2 tablets every 4 to 6 hours, a total of no more than 3 g of paracetamol (6 tablets / day). In case of severe pain, the dose may be increased to a maximum daily dose of 75 mg / kg body weight (4 g of paracetamol), i.e. 8 tablets / day;
2. children and adolescents weighing up to 50 kg: the recommended single dose of 10 to 15 mg / kg of body weight every 6 to 8 hours, the maximum daily dose of 60 mg / kg / body weight / day;
3. children weighing from 17 to 25 kg (6 to 8 years): 250 mg of paracetamol (half an effervescent tablet) at a time. If necessary, the dose may be repeated every 6 hours. Do not use more than 1 g of paracetamol per day (2 effervescent tablets);
4. children weighing 25 to 33 kg (8 to 10 years): a single dose is 250 mg (half an effervescent tablet). If necessary, the dose may be repeated every 4-6 hours. Do not use more than 1,5 g of paracetamol per day (3 effervescent tablets);
5. children weighing from 33 to 50 kg (10 to 15 years) a single dose is 500 mg (one effervescent tablet), if necessary, the dose can be repeated every 6 hours, do not use more than 2 g of paracetamol per day (4 effervescent tablets) ).

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Efferalgan – side effects

Efferalgan, like any other drug, may cause side effects in patients. It is important to report any suspected adverse reactions after authorization of the medicinal product so that the benefit / risk balance of the medicinal product can be monitored.

The frequency classification of adverse body reactions (ADRs) is based on the following principles: very common (≥1 / 10), common (≥1 / 100 to <1/10), uncommon (≥1 / 1 to <000/1), rare (≥ 100 / 1 to <10 / 000), very rare (<1 / 1), not known (cannot be estimated from the available data).

Rare side effects of Efferalgan (affects less than 1 in 1000 but more than 1 in 10 patients):

1. bad mood;
2. lowering blood pressure;
3. increased levels of hepatic transaminases.

Very rare side effects that have occurred with Efferalgan (affects less than 1 in 10000 patients):

1. hypersensitivity reactions;
2. tachycardia;
3. diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting;
4. renal colic, renal papillary necrosis, acute renal failure;
5. thrombocytopenia (reduction in the number of blood platelets);
6. leukopenia (decrease in the number of white blood cells);
7. neutropenia (decrease in the number of neutrophils – a type of white blood cell);
8. decrease or increase in INR (blood clotting coefficient).

The following side effects are also very rare and require discontinuation of Efferalgan and consultation with your doctor:

1. skin redness, rash, erythema or hives;
2. angioedema (swelling of deep layers of the skin and subcutaneous tissue);
3. shortness of breath, bronchospasm;
4. excessive sweating;
5. drop in blood pressure, up to the symptoms of anaphylactic shock (caused by a severe systemic allergic reaction, symptoms: shortness of breath, swelling of the larynx and pharynx, itching and redness of the skin, headache, feeling of pressure, dizziness, severe weakness, including loss of consciousness) which may even be life-threatening in severe cases);
6. Quincke’s edema;
7. severe skin reactions: acute generalized pustular rash all over the body, blisters and erosions on the skin, mouth, eyes and genitals, fever, joint pain, bursting huge blisters, extensive erosions on the skin, exfoliation of large patches of the epidermis (toxic necrotic separation epidermis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome).

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Efferalgan – interactions with other drugs

Before starting treatment with Efferalgan, please inform your doctor or pharmacist about all the medicines you are taking or have recently taken. You should also inform what medications the patient plans to take in the near future.

Concomitant use of Efferalgan may change the effects of the following drugs, or the use of the following drugs may change the effect of the concomitantly used Efferalgan:

1. inhibitory MAO – should not be used simultaneously with MAO inhibitors and within 2 weeks after the end of treatment with these drugs due to the possibility of agitation and high fever;
2. medicines containing salicylamide (a painkiller, also used in feverish states) – simultaneous use increases the time of paracetamol excretion;
3. drugs that increase hepatic metabolism – simultaneous use of paracetamol and medicines such as St. John’s wort, antiepileptic drugs, barbiturates (drugs mainly used in epilepsy), rifampicin (a drug used in tuberculosis), may lead to liver damage, even with the recommended doses of paracetamol;
4. izoniazyd (medicine for tuberculosis) i zydowudyna (an antiviral medicine for HIV infection) – use these medicines with caution at the same time;
5. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – simultaneous use increases the risk of renal dysfunction;
6. oral anticoagulants – concomitant use of paracetamol with coumarin anticoagulants, including warfarin, may lead to slight changes in the INR values;
7. phenytoin (a drug used in epilepsy) – concomitant use may reduce the effectiveness of paracetamol and increase the risk of liver toxicity;
8. samplesecyd (medicine for gout) – reduces the excretion of paracetamol. Your doctor will consider reducing the dose of paracetamol when used together with paracetamol.

Which drugs should never be combined with each other? Check: Dangerous interactions

Efferalgan and pregnancy and breastfeeding

The use of any medications or dietary supplements during pregnancy requires consultation with the attending physician. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking Efferalgan.

Efferalgan should only be given to pregnant women if necessary. You should use the lowest possible dose that is effective in relieving pain or reducing your fever, and you should take the medicine for the shortest possible time. If the pain does not improve, or the fever does not decrease, or if you need to take this medicine more often, consult your doctor. There are insufficient data available to indicate whether the paracetamol contained in the drug has an effect on fertility.

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Efferalgan — cena

Cena place in Efferalgan may differ depending on the city in which the painkiller will be purchased or the pharmacy chosen by the patient. The price of the product also depends on the manufacturer responsible for the distribution of the drug and the number of tablets contained in the package.

The price of the Efferalgan drug package, which contains 16 tablets, is about PLN 10.

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