Vigantol: features of medication use

The drug Vigantol is effective when necessary to regulate the exchange of phosphorus and calcium in the body.

Contents:

Release form and composition
Pharmacology and pharmacodynamics
Why take Vigantol
How to take Vigantol correctly for infants
Contraindications and adverse reactions
Overdose
How to properly store Vigantol
Interaction
Reviews about Vigantol
Which drug is better: Aquadetrim or Vigantol
How to replace Vigantol
Where to buy Vigantol, price

Pharmacology and pharmacodynamics

The drug takes part in regulating the metabolism of phosphorus and calcium. At the same time, the lack of vitamin D3 is compensated, the absorption of calcium into the gastrointestinal tract and the absorption of phosphates in the kidneys improves. Also, the effect of the drug is aimed at bone mineralization, which has a positive effect on the functioning of the parathyroid glands.

Reabsorption of the drug occurs from the digestive system. The active component accumulates in bones, liver, kidneys, and adipose tissue. The maximum content of the component in the body is reached after 4-5 hours, after which it gradually decreases, but still continues to remain at the proper level for a long time.

During clinical studies, it was revealed that the active substance is able to penetrate into breast milk.

The drug is excreted from the body mainly in bile and a little in urine.

special instructions

If a person suffers from pseudohypoparathyroidism, then it is worth strictly monitoring the presence of overdose symptoms. This is explained by the fact that in pathology there are moments of normal sensitivity to the drug, so it is necessary to adjust the dosage of the vitamin. The drug should be stopped after the parathyroid glands begin to recover, otherwise poisoning will occur.

Unfortunately, no studies have been conducted on the effect of the drug on the ability to drive a car.

Data on the interaction of alcohol and drugs are not provided.

How to take Vigantol correctly for infants

The instructions for the medicine describe in detail how to give the drug to young children. To do this, you need to combine the liquid with breast milk in a tablespoon.

In order to prevent rickets, a healthy and full-term baby from 2 months is given 1 drop every day. Duration of use is 5 days, after which you need to stop taking it for 48 hours. Children aged 1-2 years should not take the medicine in the summer. Premature infants from the 10th day of life are prescribed to take 2 drops every day for 5 days, with breaks of 2 days. The exception is the summer season.

If a child has rickets, doctors usually prescribe taking the medicine in a higher dose. From the 10th day of life, the baby is given 3-7 drops every day.

In other cases, the dosage of the medicine and the duration of treatment are determined by the attending physician. It is necessary to determine in advance the significance of the lack of vitamin D3 in the body, the indicator of which must be maintained at the proper level at the time of therapy.

Vigantol 1000 instructions for use

Indications for use

Prevention of rickets in the developing fetus, premature infants and normal newborns;
Treatment of diseases associated with a lack of minerals in bone tissue;
D3 deficiency caused by malabsorption syndrome;
Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in the elderly (as an additional remedy);

pharmachologic effect

Stabilizes intestinal nutritional processes with missing calcium and phosphorus. Affects the permeability of intestinal walls, increases the absorption of phosphorus and calcium. Saturates bone tissue with minerals, which helps strengthen bones and joints.

How to take, course of administration and dosage

Dosage

For preventive purposes, it is prescribed to infants from approximately 2 weeks of life to one year. For babies over 1 year of age, the daily dose is increased (this is especially true in spring or autumn). It is highly advisable that a good doctor indicate the exact dose and duration of the course.

To prevent rickets in children aged 1 to 2 years, the daily dose is 500 IU. In case of malabsorption syndrome, the dose can be increased to 1000 IU per day (in this case, consultation with a doctor is necessary!). If the child is fed formulas containing cholecalciferol, the dose must also be adjusted.

For D3 deficiency, the dose is 500 units/day.

For the prevention and complex treatment of osteoporosis, it is recommended to take 1000 units/day.

Note! If you are not sure that you are deficient in this vitamin, or want to clarify the optimal dosage, you should consult your doctor.

Dosage from 500 units/day.

Elderly people who take vitamins for a long time and, at the same time, take diuretics or medications to maintain normal heart function, should regularly monitor the level of Ca in the urine and blood (take appropriate tests).

It is important! The maximum permissible level of Ca in the blood is 2.75 mmol/l, in urine – 7.5 mmol/day. If the specified concentration is exceeded, the dosage of the vitamin is reduced or completely stopped.

If you miss one or more doses, there is no need to compensate for this by increasing the dose once (it will not help). Therefore, you should stick to the original dosage.

It is not advisable to stop taking the pills on your own - there is a high probability of repeated vitamin D3 deficiency.

Dosage from 1000 units/day.

Before you start using Vigantol in such a concentration, you need to consult your doctor and tell him about all (!) medications that you take. Be sure to regularly get tested for Ca levels in your blood.

How to take the drug correctly

Instructions for use of Vigantol for different age categories.

Infants under 1 year

The tablet must be dissolved in water, milk or juice in a small spoon. After thoroughly mixing the resulting suspension, it is given to the baby during feeding. You can also add the crushed drug to the prepared food and mix thoroughly.

Advice! Do not dissolve the tablet in a bottle of baby formula or water - the child may not finish it and some of the vitamin will remain in the container.

Teens and adults

The tablet is taken before, after or during meals and washed down with water.

How to take VIGANTOL for pregnant women and during lactation

Before use, you should consult with your supervising physician. The usual dose is up to 500 units/day. Dose up to 1000 units/day. over a long period of time can provoke hypercalcemia. This, in turn, can cause the baby to develop calcification, microcephaly, various congenital malformations in the development of organs and tissues, premature closure of the fontanel, disturbances in the formation of the skeleton and vision problems.

During breastfeeding, a woman must strictly adhere to the dosage and vitamin intake regimen recommended by the doctor.

Contraindications

The manufacturing company recommends that you consult with a good doctor before using the tablets - in some cases, a preliminary analysis of the concentration of vitamin D in the body is necessary. Therefore, for those who are found to have excess levels of free calcium in the blood or urine, it is categorically contraindicated.

People suffering from allergic reactions to one or several components of the drug are PROHIBITED from taking it!

Observation of the attending physician is MANDATORY for:

Serious diseases of the urinary system that can lead to urolithiasis;
Concomitant use of thiazide-like diuretics (increases urination frequency);
Kidney failure;
Gastric ulcer;
A number of kidney diseases accompanied by impaired phosphorus-calcium metabolism;
The likelihood of causing hypercalcemia or hypercalciuria due to a sedentary lifestyle;
Sarcoidosis, when there is a risk of increasing the formation of calcitriol;
Thrombophlebitis;
Pseudohypoparathyroidism (rare genetic disease).

Those who simultaneously take other medications containing cholecalciferol also need to be tested for vitamin D levels - in this case, the dosage is prescribed by a specialist on an individual basis.

Side effects

With an overdose of vitamin D3, there are usually no characteristic symptoms. But you should be wary if you have the following problems:

allergies (up to Quincke's edema), skin itching;
hair loss on the head;
loss of appetite;
dry mouth, constant thirst;
nausea, vomiting, or cramps;
diarrhea or constipation;
increased frequency of urination;
headache;
muscle pain;
feeling of constant fatigue;
heart rhythm disturbance (tachycardia);
neuralgic problems.

In these cases, stop taking the drug immediately and consult a doctor: he should send you to be tested for hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria. With proper treatment (abstinence from vitamins, a diet of foods with minimal calcium content, drinking as much fluid as possible, prescribing a number of medications), the undesirable consequences of hypervitaminosis can always be avoided.

Special instructions

Interaction with medications

The desired effect is reduced by the simultaneous use of drugs that depress the central nervous system (including antiepileptics), as well as a number of glucocorticosteroids.

The following drugs can provoke hypervitaminosis:

based on thiazide diuretics;
increasing metabolism;
containing vitamin D3;
for the treatment of tuberculosis.

In some cases, cardiac arrhythmia may occur as a result of taking herbal cardiotonic drugs. Systematic tests for calcium levels in the blood and urine will help prevent this.

Storage conditions

Vitamins are kept in closed packaging in a shaded place at a temperature not exceeding +25C. The drug should be hidden from children. After the expiration date (it is indicated on the packaging and blister), the tablets should absolutely NOT be taken.

Try to dispose of expired medicine according to all the rules (they will tell you at the pharmacy) - this way you will help maintain environmental balance.

Contraindications and adverse reactions

Medicines should not be taken under the following conditions:

increased susceptibility to constituent components;
excessive presence of calcium in the body;
the presence of calcareous stones in the kidneys;
immobilization.

Sometimes taking the drug can provoke negative reactions:

high levels of calcium in the blood;
nausea, vomiting;
problems with consciousness and mental state;
weight loss;
lack of appetite.

Side effects

In some cases, taking the drug causes negative consequences:

arrhythmia
hypercalcemia
hypercalciuria
vomit
nausea
change of consciousness
mental disorders
urolithiasis
weight loss
thirst
poor appetite

Overdose

If the level of vitamin D3 in the body increases, an overdose may occur. It is manifested by the following symptoms: vomiting, nausea, constipation, upset stomach, headache, malaise. More serious negative manifestations include: high blood pressure, itching, bone pain. If such symptoms appear, the doctor may stop the drug, change the dose, or prescribe vitamin E or other medications.

In very advanced conditions, it is necessary to administer an intravenous solution of sodium chloride, electrolytes, and furosemide. To prevent cases of overdose, it is necessary to constantly monitor the level of calcium in the body.

Drug interactions

Pharmaceuticals primidone, medications included in the category of barbiturates increase the rate of biotransformation, which increases the requirement of vitamin D.

The combined use of Vigantol with bisphosphonates, calcitonin, plicamycin reduces the effectiveness of vitamin D3.

Combining the drug with glycosides and benzodiazepines, thiazide diuretics increases the risk of developing hypercalcemia.

The effectiveness of the drug decreases when combining it

isoniazid, rifampicin, since these drugs increase the biotransformation of the components of Vigantol.

A decrease in the effectiveness of this drug is observed with simultaneous treatment with rifampicin and isoniazid, as they increase the rate of biotransformation.

Reviews about Vigantol

Parents often leave their reviews on the Internet about taking this medicine. Most reviews indicate that sometimes pediatricians prescribe an aqueous solution of Aquadetrim to children. There are cases when, during examinations, rachitic changes are discovered in a child, after which they are prescribed oil solutions, which include Vigantol.

Reviews of the drug Vigantol confirm its effectiveness. For a couple of years, no pathological conditions in the skeletal system are detected in children. Despite the possibility of various adverse reactions from taking the medication, there have been no descriptions of such cases.

General description:

Please note: previously (until September 2021) this drug was called Vigantoletten.

More information about the name change can be found here

Vigantol from Germany is No. 1 among vitamin D preparations in Europe! VIGANTOL 1000 IE has long been proven to prevent vitamin D deficiency and support the treatment of osteoporosis, as well as for the prevention of rickets in infants and children.

Did you know: to prevent vitamin D deficiency, in most cases it is already enough to take half a VIGANTOL ® 1000 IU tablet once a day?

The drug is a vitamin supplement: it contains colecalciferol (equivalent to vitamin D3).
Used: For the prevention of rickets in premature infants
To prevent the risk of developing vitamin D deficiency in healthy people without resorption disorders (impaired absorption of vitamin D in the intestines)
For the maintenance treatment of osteoporosis (bone degradation in older people)

Method of administration:

Infants and Toddlers: Dissolve the tablet in a teaspoon of water or milk and pour the dissolved tablet directly into the child's mouth, preferably during meals.
It is not recommended to add tablets to children's bottles or food, as this does not guarantee adequate intake of the vitamin into the body.
When using fortified foods, it is necessary to take into account the amount of vitamin D it contains.

Adults:

Take the tablets with plenty of water.