With a mild course of colds and viral diseases, doctors usually prescribe antiviral, antipyretic and immunostimulating drugs, as well as drugs that are prescribed symptomatically. For example, with a cough or a runny nose. About how effective some drugs are in treating coronavirus disease - in the material "Lenta.ru".
So far, medical evidence suggests that there is no universal treatment regimen for the disease. It is not easy to predict the course of the disease, and the development of complications depends on immunity and concomitant diseases. Unfortunately, even seemingly healthy people are not immune from this. Therefore, in case of suspicion of pneumonia or COVID, doctors recommend that a computed tomography (CT) scan of the respiratory system be done. There is even a separate list of symptoms when, with a coronavirus and suspicion of it, you need to go for a CT scan.
The main thing to remember is that all diagnostic procedures and treatment should be prescribed only by a doctor, taking into account the symptoms of the disease and anamnesis. And in no case should you self-medicate, since it can be dangerous, and all drugs and their dosage should be prescribed individually.
With a mild course of coronavirus, an antipyretic ("Paracetamol", "Ibuprofen", "Ibuclin" or, for example, "Nimesulide"), some vasoconstrictor nasal drops, saline to moisturize its mucous membrane and cough remedies are usually prescribed. Despite the fact that many coughs are not accompanied by sputum production, in some cases the sensations are relieved by mucolytics (drugs that thin sputum) made on the basis of acetylcysteine, ambroxol or cabrocysteine. One of these drugs is the Italian "Fluifort". It is produced in the form of a syrup for children and in the form of granules for adults.
The active ingredient in "Fluifort" is carbocisteine lysine salt. It simultaneously affects many processes in the body: it regulates the viscosity and volume of sputum at the stage of its formation, triggers a natural cleaning of the airways, relieves inflammation and prevents phlegm from accumulating in the airways, thereby preventing the risk of complications, and also reduces wheezing and makes breathing easier. …
"This is an extremely interesting and promising drug from the point of view of clinical practice," says Denis Tulupov, associate professor of the Department of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology at the Russian Medical Academy of Science and Technology. “It has an evidence base, it is convenient to use, it is well tolerated. And it has an interesting mechanism of action, especially in the treatment of chronic diseases. In our practice, my colleagues and I use it. A convenient scheme of use, which is important for patients, is well tolerated by most patients, "the expert notes.
“The drug is well known. This is, in fact, carbocisteine, which has already proven itself quite well,”says Igor Leshchenko, professor of the Department of Phthisiology and Pulmonology at the Ural State Medical University. “It is used as a mucolytic drug, is an expectorant that dilutes phlegm and promotes its evacuation from the bronchi when coughing, but also has a number of other equally important properties. First of all, antioxidant properties - the drug reduces the level of the so-called oxidative stress, that is, it indirectly reduces the level of inflammation,”emphasizes Igor Leshchenko. In addition, studies have shown that Fluifort inhibits virus replication.
It follows that if the patient has a viral infection, then the drug inhibits its reproduction, especially if the infection is accompanied by the development of acute viral bronchitis associated with exposure to the cells of the bronchial epithelium. Therefore, the drug is indicated for those patients who have manifestations in the form of cough, sputum separation against the background of a viral infection or after its transfer (there are contraindications, it should be used strictly as prescribed by the doctor - approx. "Lenta.ru").
In addition, Fluifort can reduce the possibility of developing a bacterial infection. The virus is able to activate bacteria, "Fluifort", in turn, being a derivative of carbocysteine, in addition to reducing viral replication, also reduces bacterial adhesion, that is, the adhesion of bacteria to the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract, reducing the bacterial load in patients with purulent sputum.
Indirectly, the drug can also stop the symptoms of coronavirus, since it has a mucolytic effect and reduces the activity of viruses. It should be noted here that "Fluifort" can be used not in the treatment of the coronavirus itself, but in the treatment of possible manifestations of a viral infection. For example, if a coronavirus infection is accompanied by an acute bronchitis clinic. But there are no proven studies on the effect of the drug in the treatment of coronavirus patients. “In the prevention of common forms of viral infections, there is research evidence that it reduces the risk of disease,” notes Denis Tulupov.
Patients who have undergone coronavirus infection often have changes in the lung tissue, which are usually reversible. That is, the lung tissue is restored. But changes can be observed for quite a long time, moreover, not only in patients who have undergone a severe form (75-80 percent lung damage), but also a mild one (for example, 25-30 percent lung volume damage). In this case, the so-called respiratory rehabilitation is needed. “These are specially developed non-drug methods of exposure, for example, breathing exercises, breathing exercises, gradual physical activity,” says Igor Leshchenko. “At the same time, the described properties of some drugs, including carbocisteine, which has an indirect anti-inflammatory effect, also contribute to the restoration of lung function,” the expert says. Of course, scientific multicenter comparative studies are needed to prove this effect.
In turn, Denis Tulupov also noted that "Fluifort" has a form of release for children, which is especially important. For small patients, there is a shortage of approved drugs that are well tolerated. Therefore, “every drug, if it has an effect and is safe for patients, is a valuable thing for pediatric practice,” the expert emphasized.
