What antiviral drugs to use for colds

With the advent of cold weather, influenza viruses are also activated, as well as simple infections like colds, sore throats, and other seemingly not critical, but extremely unpleasant diseases. Therefore, the demand for antiviral drugs in pharmacies increases many times, but if you turn to a pharmacist without a doctor's prescription, you can get pretty confused in the variety of names. Is it possible to independently choose a means to combat the virus, and are budget medicines worthy of attention?

The most famous antiviral drugs for colds

The general list of antiviral drugs is so long that it makes no sense to get acquainted with it. Some of the drugs are known for good advertising - Teraflu, Otsillokoktsinum, Viferon, Ingavirin, etc. Some of them are not only antiviral drugs, but also immunomodulators, allowing them to be used for prevention, some of them are designed for direct treatment. Among them, 2 titles deserve special attention.

• "Kagocel"there is a very high demand in the niche of fast-response drugs. The active active ingredient is Kagocel, which is 12 mg per tablet. The maximum concentration in serum is observed 48 hours after taking the tablet and lasts for 5 days. The accumulative effect is not It has.

The main focus of Kagocel is the treatment of respiratory diseases, as well as herpes. At the same time, in order for the medication to work with maximum efficiency, it is recommended to begin therapy within 4 days from the moment of occurrence of the disease. The cost of packing 10 tablets - 250 rubles. Reviews of "Kagocele", however, are so diverse that the average score to him is more "satisfactory" than at least "good."

• Inna: I absolutely did not understand the essence of Kagocelom treatment - after taking the pill it is really good (not immediately, in a day, but this is logical), the main symptoms of the flu go away, you believe in improving the condition. While taking the pills, I thought that I was recovering (6 days), then I took a break by pure chance - all the symptoms returned at once. She started taking again - again, well, but once you forget about the pill, it’s as if she hasn’t been treated. The feeling that the drug only stops the disease, but the virus does not kill.

The following medicine needs no introduction - the demand for it in Russian pharmacies is so high that during the period of epidemics it is simply not to be found.

• "Arbidol". The active ingredient is amifenovir, the drug itself is included not only in the category of antivirals, but also immunomodulating. Used for the treatment of respiratory diseases and prevention during epidemics. The speed of exposure depends on the sensitivity of the organism, but in any case, experts note a long-lasting effect and a general increase in body resistance. The cost of 10 capsules - from 250 rubles.
• Ulyana: I have a twofold relationship to Arbidol: when my therapist discharged it, I honestly followed the recipe and drank the capsule for 4 days, but did not notice any special effect. But it was worth giving her daughter a capsule (3 years), as her temperature had gone down an hour later, and the next morning she did not rise above 37.1.

Cheap antiviral drugs for colds and flu

Budget funds can also be quite effective, but even among them it is not easy to find good options. To date, among these appear "Cycloferon" and "Rimantadine." Who is better?

• "Rimantadine"The active substance is rimantadine hydrochloride, which acts as an antiviral agent. Maximum effectiveness is noted for A-type viruses, and for B-type viruses it works as an inhibiting drug intoxication. The remaining categories of viruses are resistant to rimantadine.

The main indication for taking the drug is the prevention of influenza (the indicated types) and the prevention of the development of the disease during early treatment. For the advanced stage, "Rimantadine" must be combined with a stronger antiviral agent. The cost of 20 tablets - 50-70 rubles.

• Alina: The tablets are very bitter, even if they are not chewed, but only swallowed (no shell), they dissolve immediately in water, when drunk. In my diagnosis (A-flu), the drug came up completely, so the negative reviews about it can only be explained by inattention to the instructions. At the initial stage of the disease, it works perfectly, the course of 5 days is enough to confidently stand up.

The next drug, Cycloferon, is more enthusiastic about the reviews than Rimantadine because of its quick response, but they also have some negative aspects, in particular, often adverse reactions.

• "Cycloferon“- a drug based on meglumin acridone acetate, the concentration of which in 1 tablet is 50 mg. The active substance stimulates the production of interferon, works on the same principle as Kagocel. The main focus is respiratory diseases and herpes, but to get the effect you must start taking in the first 5 days since the onset of symptoms of the disease.The maximum concentration of the active substance in the blood is observed 4 hours after taking the pill, decreases over 4 hours, does not accumulate.The cost of 10 tablets - 130 py .
• Daria: The main problem of "Cycloferon" is the difficulty of adhering to its reception schedule (it is necessary to note the necessary days in the calendar), as well as an impressive list of side effects. But, as practice has shown throughout my family, it really works - both in herpes and in ORZ. But it is necessary to delay the therapy - everything can be addressed to more serious means.

As a result, it should be noted that there are also antiviral drugs with stronger and faster action, but it is desirable to resort to them only in the advanced stage of influenza, since the reverse side is attached to high effectiveness in the form of adverse reactions. Therefore, experts insist on timely prevention, and, if necessary, the selection of antiviral drugs for treatment, contact the doctor directly.