"Betaserc" and alcohol: compatibility, consequences, reviews. "Betaserc": instructions for use, composition, effect of the drug

Is it permissible to combine alcohol and Betaserc? Let's try to figure it out. Betaserc is a prescription drug. It has one dosage form - tablets. Every person who is prescribed Betaserc is faced with the need to obtain additional information about this medicine. Firstly, it is not clear whether it is possible to combine the medication with alcohol and whether any serious consequences may occur. Secondly, it is important to know exactly about the features of using Betaserc and possible side effects. All this information allows you to take the drug correctly without harm to your body.

About the compatibility of Betaserc and alcohol

When taking almost any medication, people wonder whether it can be combined with alcohol. A common situation is that a tablet of the drug is taken, and literally an hour later a party will start at friends’ house, and there will certainly be alcohol-containing drinks on the table. What to do: refuse or drink a little? Is it possible to take Betaserc with alcohol?

Specifically, the instructions do not say anything about the incompatibility of the drug with ethyl alcohol. This does not mean that you can drink alcoholic beverages. It’s just that the manufacturer of the drug did not specifically conduct research on this topic. And they don't make much sense. By and large, it is undesirable to combine all medications with alcohol, and Betaserc is no exception. Medicines help improve health and restore certain functions of the body. Ethyl alcohol has the opposite effect. It puts a strain on the brain, heart, liver, and damages the gastric mucosa.

Is it possible to combine Betaserc with alcohol?

This drug is a histamine derivative, the main mechanism of action of which is aimed at dilating blood vessels and improving microcirculation in brain tissue. Thanks to this effect, Betaserc has found application in the treatment of dysfunctions of the vestibular apparatus. That is, the remedy is indicated for people with impaired coordination, spatial orientation, etc. In the clinic, this condition is called Meniere's syndrome.

The main link in the pathogenesis of such diseases is hypoxia (oxygen starvation) of brain tissue responsible for vestibular functions. And its most common causes are polluted air, consumption of alcohol, drugs, the influence of pesticides and other poisons.

Possible consequences of taking the drug and alcohol

It is not difficult to guess what consequences may arise from the simultaneous use of Betaserc and alcohol-containing drinks. Alcohol can cause headaches and dizziness. A drunk person loses orientation in time and space, poorly articulates speech, walks with an uneven gait, and staggers.

Now let’s pay attention to the pharmacological effect of the drug “Betaserc”. The medication improves microcirculation. It is recommended to be taken by those people who suffer from dizziness, complain of tinnitus, and headaches. If a person with such symptoms drinks alcohol, he will only worsen his health. Due to the presence of ethyl alcohol in the body, the drug will not be able to act properly. Some people in the reviews confirm this, talking about increased headaches, tinnitus and other things.

Treatment of conductive hearing loss

Treatment will depend on what triggered the development of conductive hearing loss, but the first step is to go to the doctor. A therapist, audiologist or ENT specialist can diagnose this disease, and they also have the right to prescribe treatment for you. The first step in diagnosis will be to conduct pure tone threshold audiometry.

The most common cause of conductive hearing loss is cerumen. The name may sound silly or funny, but if you ignore it for long enough, it can cause you serious trouble. Attention! You shouldn't even try to remove the plug yourself - you risk pushing the wax deeper into the ear canal. You can damage the eardrum, which can allow wax to enter the middle and inner ear. Avoid getting foreign bodies into your ears. This also applies to cotton swabs. To maintain ear hygiene, simply wash them with warm water.

Ear infections are also a common cause of conductive hearing loss. If you start the disease and allow it to progress, it will quickly become chronic. This is fraught with the formation of scars in the ear canal, sometimes quite large. It is important to receive timely treatment for the cause of the disease, because scars that impede the passage of sound are most easily removed surgically.

Only with the help of a surgeon can one cope with tumors and various types of growths, as well as with the separation of the auditory ossicles.

General information about the drug

So, the answer to the frequently asked question about the simultaneous use of Betaserc and alcohol has been given. Now let's move on directly to the consideration of the drug. Let's start with the fact that Betaserc is a drug known all over the world. It has already existed for almost 50 years. During all this time, the drug has been and remains a faithful assistant for neurologists and patients.

In Europe, Betaserk was first registered in 1970. Over time, experts have determined a safe and effective dose for humans. Further studies of the drug showed that Betaserc does not affect psychomotor function, does not have a sedative effect, and does not cause drowsiness. Also, the drug does not affect systemic blood pressure, which is very important for people suffering from arterial hypertension.

Possible side effects

Betaserc is a highly effective and fairly safe drug. It has virtually no contraindications, and its side effects are extremely rare.

The duration of the course of treatment is determined by the attending physician, depending on the severity of the injuries and the general condition of the patient. To avoid side effects and increase the effectiveness of treatment, you must completely stop drinking alcohol during this period.

Possible undesirable effects in case of simultaneous use of Betaserc and alcohol:

Dyspeptic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (nausea, vomiting, bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain, heartburn). Such manifestations are possible due to the fact that histamine receptors are also present in the walls of the stomach, excessive stimulation of which significantly increases the secretion of gastric juice, increasing its acidity. Alcohol also stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid, resulting in excessive irritation of the walls of the stomach and intestines. Long-term exposure can lead to the development of gastritis and peptic ulcers.

Dizziness and headache
Symptoms from the central nervous system: headache, darkening of the eyes, tinnitus. A sharp dilation of blood vessels leads to a drop in blood pressure. Typically, this effect is compensated by the body itself: the heartbeat accelerates, diuresis decreases to increase blood volume, thirst increases, etc. If the action of the compensatory systems is insufficient (which can be observed in diseases of the cardiovascular system), a short-term deterioration in the condition is noted. Drinking alcohol will prolong the body's recovery time, because it puts additional stress on the heart. In addition, alcohol drives the brain into a state of persistent hypoxia, which is what causes euphoria and a feeling of lightness while intoxicated.
Allergic reactions (urticaria, itching, burning, anaphylactic shock). In rare cases, with individual intolerance to one of the components of the drug, allergic reactions of varying severity develop. If a person is prone to this type of reaction (there is a history of allergies), then taking a dose of alcohol with Betaserc will only increase the chance of developing severe anaphylaxis.

If side effects occur, you should consult a doctor

If one of these effects occurs, you should immediately stop taking the medication and consult a doctor for help and advice. In such a situation, a drug from a different pharmacodynamic group with different active ingredients and mechanism of action is prescribed.

But even in the absence of health problems, it is necessary to observe the dosage of the drug and adhere to all the recommendations of the attending physician, including giving up fun drinks. Brain neurons are very delicate structures that are extremely sensitive to hypoxia and the effects of toxic substances. There is no safe dose of alcohol in this regard. You should not neglect your health and sabotage the treatment process for the sake of the imaginary pleasure of alcohol.

Contrary to popular belief, Betaserc is not an effective remedy for restoring central nervous system functions due to chronic alcoholism. Long-term use of ethyl alcohol leads to brain cells dying en masse, and no drug can restore their vital functions.

Composition and release form

"Betaserc" is made on the basis of betahistine dihydrochloride. This substance is the active ingredient in the drug. Betahistine dihydrochloride is a histamine analogue. It was first synthesized in 1941. However, this substance did not immediately attract the attention of specialists. Only in the early 60s of the last century did research into betahistine dihydrochloride begin, and a little later, on the basis of this histamine analogue, the drug in question began to be produced.

Betaserc also contains excipients:

microcrystalline cellulose;
mannitol (E421);
talc;
colloidal silicon dioxide;
citric acid monohydrate.

The medicine is produced, as mentioned above, in the form of tablets. They are round, biconvex, and white or almost white in color. The tablets are placed in blisters and cardboard packs along with instructions for use. Packages with different numbers of tablets are available for sale - 20, 30 and 60 pieces. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that the tablets are available in different dosages - 8, 16 and 24 mg.

Why is Betaserc prescribed?

Experts prescribe the study drug to patients diagnosed with Meniere's syndrome. This is a fairly rare disease. According to statistics, it is detected in 20–200 people out of 100 thousand people. In medicine, Meniere's syndrome is a non-purulent disease of the inner ear. With the disease, the volume of labyrinthine fluid increases and intralabyrinthine pressure increases. Because of this, sick people experience attacks of deafness, tinnitus, dizziness, and imbalance. Some of the possible causes of the development of Meniere's syndrome include problems with blood vessels, consequences of ear and head injuries.

The instructions included with Betaserc indicate another indication - symptomatic treatment of vestibular vertigo (vertigo).

Causes of conductive hearing loss

There are two types of sensorineural hearing loss: congenital and acquired, and this disease is inherited. If among your relatives there are hard of hearing people with this diagnosis, you should pay special attention to protecting your hearing from noise - the disease may not wait until your old age and can appear even at a young age.

In case of disorders in the outer ear, the causes of hearing loss may be:

sulfur plug;
otitis externa;
formation of exostasis (tissue proliferation in the ear canal);
entry of foreign bodies.

In all these cases, the ear seems to be blocked in the area of the external auditory canal, and sound simply cannot enter the middle ear for further transmission and processing.

Disorders that can occur in the human middle ear are much more diverse, both in terms of their causes and consequences. So, disorders in the inner ear can become:

infectious diseases or inflammation in the middle ear. This leads to the accumulation of fluid, which interferes with the functioning of the auditory system;
growth of the eardrum;
inflammation or blockage of the eustachian tube;
the appearance of neoplasms or growths that seem to change the “landscape” of the middle ear, making the passage of sound difficult;
violation of the integrity of the eardrum;
otosclerosis.

Conductive hearing loss can also be a congenital disorder.

What happens to the active substance in the body

Betahistine is rapidly and almost completely absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. This substance is then metabolized. During this process, a metabolite of 2-pyridylacetic acid is formed (it has no pharmacological activity).

An hour after taking Betaserc, the level of 2-pyridylacetic acid in patients’ blood plasma rises to maximum values. The half-life is approximately 3.5 hours. According to expert reviews, 2-pyridylacetic acid is excreted from the body in the urine.

The same process, without any serious changes, occurs when Betaserc and alcohol enter the body.

Mechanism of action of the active substance

The effect of betahistine has not yet been fully studied. Available information suggests that this substance binds to H1 receptors located in the neuroreceptor cells of the inner ear. Betahistine has a local stimulating effect. As a result, the release of neurotransmitters (histamine) into the synapse increases from the nerve endings of the receptor cells of the inner ear. In turn, neurotransmitters act on the precapillary sphincters. The result of this influence is vasodilation of the vessels of the inner ear, an increase in their permeability, and normalization of intralabyrinthine pressure.

Betahistine also acts on the receptors of the vestibular nuclei, which are located in the medulla oblongata. Under the influence of the active substance “Betaserc”, the level of serotonin increases in the medulla oblongata. Next, the activity of the vestibular nuclei decreases and their excitability decreases. As a result, a person gets rid of such an unpleasant symptom as dizziness.

Research results

Before considering the instructions for use of Betaserc, prices, analogues and expert reviews of this drug, let us draw attention to the fact that multiple experiments were carried out in the past. Their goal was to prove the effectiveness of the drug and its superiority over certain other drugs. For example, one study involved cinnarizine. Betaserc and cinnarizine were prescribed to people complaining of dizziness. After a month of treatment, specialists recorded the first important result - the patients stopped having attacks of dizziness. This served as proof that Betaserc and cinnarizine are effective drugs.

However, the experiment was not completed. It was also planned to evaluate vestibular function in 2 groups of patients - those who took Betaserc and those who took cinnarizine. The results in each group were different. During the use of Betaserc, a tendency of the vestibular function towards symmetrical hyporeflexia was noted. This was a guarantee that patients would no longer be tormented by attacks of dizziness. The use of cinnarizine did not improve vestibular function. Only the symptoms were muted. After stopping cinnarizine, people experienced dizziness again after a while.

Hearing replacement for conductive hearing loss

Science does not stand still. Today, there are special digital hearing aids and bone conduction devices for hearing aids for patients with conductive hearing loss. Standard models can solve the main problem of hearing loss - restore speech intelligibility and establish balance in case of unilateral hearing loss. Bone conduction devices are designed to transmit sounds directly to the cochlea, bypassing the affected areas of the outer and middle ear.

So, conductive hearing loss is treatable and can be treated with hearing aids, but remember that it is always much easier to prevent the disease than to treat it!

Contraindications for use

According to reviews from doctors, Betaserc is not recommended for use in case of hypersensitivity to any substance from the drug or to several components. Medicine is also not prescribed for pheochromocytoma. This is a benign hormonally active tumor that most often develops from chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla.

No studies have been conducted to determine the effectiveness and safety of Betaserc in such groups of patients as children, pregnant and lactating women. For this reason, the drug is not prescribed until age 18. Pregnant women can use the medication only in cases of obvious need. While in a position, it is highly not recommended to combine alcohol and Betaserc. The consequences are unfavorable, because it is known that ethyl alcohol literally kills the fetus and leads to disturbances in its development. Additionally, betahistine may affect the fetus. For breastfeeding women, the medicine is prescribed after assessing the possible risk to the breastfeeding baby.

What is conductive hearing loss

Conductive hearing loss is a hearing loss in which the processes in the auditory system are disrupted in such a way that it becomes impossible for sound signals to reach the inner ear. That is, there is some physical obstacle to the transmission of sound to the brain.

Conductive hearing loss is divided into two types: loss in the outer ear and loss in the middle ear. The external is the auricle and the external auditory canal. The middle ear is a much more complex structure: the eardrum, the Eustachian tube and the auditory ossicles. This is all a very delicate, calibrated system, and the slightest disturbance in it can lead to conductive hearing loss.

Directions for use and doses

Take Betaserc with meals. The daily dose for adults is 48 mg. In some cases it may be less. The dose is selected by the attending physician for each specific case. When prescribing medication to older people, it is not adjusted. Also, no dose adjustment is required for patients suffering from hepatic or renal insufficiency.

How to divide the daily dose? First of all, you need to pay attention to the dosage of the tablets. Betaserc 24 mg is taken 2 times a day, 1 tablet. In severe cases, doctors increase the first dose of the drug from 24 to 48 mg. But the decision is made only by a specialist! In small dosages, Betaserc is prescribed for the treatment of motion sickness syndrome (8 or 16 mg 2 times a day).

It is allowed to break the tablet into 2 halves before taking it, but this should only be done so that the medicine can be swallowed more easily. You cannot split the tablet in order to take one half later. The thing is that in this dosage form, during production, the active component cannot be distributed evenly.

Based on patient reviews, when taking the drug, improvements begin to be observed after a few weeks. Several months of treatment are required to achieve best results.

Some groups of patients require caution when using Betaserc. These include people with stomach and/or duodenal ulcers and bronchial asthma.

Application of Betaserc in the treatment of patients with subjective tinnitus due to sensorineural hearing loss

Rice. 1. Structure of forms of sensorineural hearing loss

Rice. 2. Structure of the causes of the disease

Rice. 3. Scale for assessing the results of treatment of patients with subjective tinnitus

Rice. 4. The effectiveness of Betaserc treatment depending on the form of sensorineural hearing loss

The causes of sensorineural hearing loss are: acute and chronic diseases of the middle ear, circulatory disorders in the vertebrobasilar system, the use of ototoxic drugs [3, 5, 11], work in conditions of noise and vibration, emotional and mental stress [7, 8, 9] , acute infectious diseases. Each of the etiological factors affects certain structures of the sound analyzer; the external manifestation of this effect is: an increase in the thresholds of bone sound conduction, a decrease in the intelligibility of speech perception, and the appearance of subjective tinnitus.

One of the most common symptoms accompanying sensorineural hearing loss is subjective tinnitus. Tinnitus (tinnitus) is a reaction of the sound analyzer, caused by adequate and inadequate stimuli and manifested by noise, crackling, ringing, hum, and musical melodies. “A healthy living organism always sounds,” but this noise or somatic vibrator sounds are usually not audible, since they are masked by external noise (environmental sounds), which act as a so-called damper [1]. When healthy people were placed in a soundproof chamber, a sensation of tinnitus occurred in 94% of subjects with normal hearing.

Subjective tinnitus is defined as a pathological auditory sensation that occurs in the ear in the absence of external sound influence and occurs, as a rule, against the background of various pathologies in any part of the sound analyzer. Subjective tinnitus is not a nosological form of the disease, but a symptom of pathology from the sound analyzer. Of all the ear symptoms, after pain, tinnitus causes the most suffering to the patient. Tinnitus is one of the main and early symptoms of damage to the sound analyzer; it often causes more anxiety to the patient than hearing loss. Subjective tinnitus is observed in patients with acute sensorineural hearing loss in 94.9% of cases, and in patients with chronic hearing loss in 91.8% of cases [2, 9].

It is believed that the cause of tinnitus in sensorineural hearing loss is neurotrophic changes in the sound analyzer. V.T. Palchun (1990) [4] attaches great importance to the disruption of the complex structural and functional organization of intracerebral regulation, with the formation of pathological stable functional connections (PSFC), realized through subcortical structures and the “disease information field” in long-term memory. As a result of these changes, when pathological impulses appear from the affected organ through the PSPS and the “information field of the disease,” a symptom complex of the disease is formed, mainly of the cochlea.

Depending on the severity of the noise and its tolerance by a person, I.B. Soldatov [10] distinguishes the following noise levels:

I degree – tolerated calmly, does not affect the general condition;
II degree – irritates in silence, at night, disturbs sleep;
III degree – constantly bothers, disturbs sleep and mood;
IV degree – unbearable noise, depriving sleep and reducing ability to work.

Treatment of patients with subjective tinnitus due to sensorineural hearing loss is one of the most difficult tasks for otorhinolaryngologists.

Currently, there are dozens of ways to treat patients with subjective tinnitus. The most effective therapy for this pathology is treatment aimed at improving the blood supply to the inner ear and improving the conduction of nerve impulses.

The basic principles of treatment of patients with this pathology are the following: firstly, if possible, exclude the etiological factor that caused the disease, secondly, start treatment in the early stages, thirdly, be sure to include in complex etiotropic and pathogenetic therapy means aimed at to eliminate oxygen deficiency and normalize microcirculation in the inner ear [6, 12].

According to literature data on experimental histological studies of the auditory nerve, the latter has a lower regenerative capacity compared to other cranial nerves. Therefore, a positive effect in treatment can be obtained if atrophic-degenerative changes have not yet developed in the nerve elements of the sound analyzer, i.e. at least some of the pathological changes in the perceptive apparatus are reversible. These are changes that are caused by capillary stasis, as well as swelling of the nuclei of hair cells. The inability to obtain an effect from treatment for degeneration of the auditory nerve indicates the extreme importance of carrying out therapy in the initial stages of damage to the organ of hearing, which aims to, if not eliminate, then at least stabilize the pathological process, which usually tends to progress.

The most appropriate treatment for tinnitus with sensorineural hearing loss is with drugs that affect the blood supply to the cochlea, can restore the functions of its enzyme systems and improve oxygenation. The emphasis is placed on the reversibility of such pathological changes as impaired blood circulation and microcirculation, swelling of the stria vascularis, disruption of the ionic composition of the labyrinth fluids, capillary and venous stasis with a decrease in the delivery of nutrients, decreased permeability of cell membranes, swelling of the nuclei of hair cells .

In the practice of an ENT doctor, when treating patients with sensorineural hearing loss accompanied by subjective tinnitus, the drug Betaserc (Abbott) is used.

Betaserc is a synthetic histamine analogue that is a weak H1-receptor agonist and a powerful H3-receptor antagonist. Due to the action on these receptors, it has the following effects: improving microcirculation in the vessels of the inner ear, normalizing intralabyrinthine pressure, suppressing the pathological activity of the vestibular nuclei in the brain stem, as well as increasing blood flow in the vertebrobasilar region. In addition, Betaserc accelerates the process of compensation for vestibular disorders (vestibular adaptation).

Betaserc is available in the form of tablets that contain betahistine dihydrochloride. The drug is rapidly absorbed, its maximum concentration in the blood is reached 3 hours after administration. The half-life is 3–4 hours, metabolites are excreted mainly in the urine.

The pharmacological properties of the drug allow it to be used not only in the treatment of dizziness, but also in patients with sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus.

Materials and methods

In order to study the effectiveness of Betaserc, we examined and treated 50 patients, 40% of them men and 60% women, with sensorineural hearing loss aged 18 to 70 years at the ENT clinic of the Moscow State Medical and Dental University. The acute form of the disease was in 10 patients, subacute – in 25 and chronic – in 15 patients (Fig. 1).

Figure 2 shows the structure of the causes of sensorineural hearing loss.

When studying the anamnesis, we took into account the patient’s age, the moment of hearing loss and the appearance of tinnitus, the nature and degree of hearing loss, the connection with past infectious diseases, diseases of the cardiovascular, endocrine, osteoarticular, urinary systems, with the use of ototoxic drugs, with traumatic factors, stress, hereditary predisposition, allergic reactions, etc. As well as bad habits, the nature and degree of noise, the dependence of its intensity on the time of day, on weather changes, on the position of the head and body, complaints of dizziness (constant, periodic, paroxysmal), headache and its localization. Tolerance of tinnitus was assessed as follows: 1st degree – the noise is tolerated calmly, does not affect the general condition; 2nd – noise irritates the patient, especially when nervous, in a quiet environment and at night, disrupts sleep; 3rd – noise is difficult to tolerate, negatively affects sleep and mood; 4th – the patient’s attention is completely concentrated on pathological auditory sensations, they are unbearable, deprive them of sleep and significantly reduce performance.

Examination of the ENT organs included otoscopy using an otoscope with optics, anterior and posterior rhinoscopy, pharyngoscopy, and indirect laryngoscopy. The patency of the auditory tubes was checked. The function of the sound analyzer was studied using whispered and spoken speech, and a set of tuning forks. Tone threshold audiometry and acoustic impedance measurements were performed.

Patients took Betaserc 24 mg 2 times a day. The course of treatment lasted 30 days.

To assess the effectiveness of treatment, a psychological test proposed by Fiedler was used. The initial noise level was taken as 100% and marked on a line of 10 cm (1 cm = 10%). During treatment, the patient noted a percent reduction in noise, if any, on the line. Excellent results included complete disappearance of noise or maintenance of its intensity within 25% of the volume from its original level; to good - when the volume is reduced by half (50%); satisfactory – when the noise remained within 75% of the original volume; to unsatisfactory – when tinnitus remained at the initial level (100%) (Fig. 3).

When treating patients with acute sensorineural hearing loss, accompanied by subjective tinnitus, we noted excellent results in 3 patients, good results in 3 patients, satisfactory results in 2 patients, and unsatisfactory results in 2 patients. When treating patients with subacute sensorineural hearing loss, the results were excellent in 5, good in 7, satisfactory in 6, unsatisfactory in 7 patients. In patients with a chronic form of the disease, the effectiveness of the drug was an order of magnitude lower. We noted good results in 2 patients, in other cases these were satisfactory (3) and unsatisfactory results (10). The effectiveness of Betaserc treatment depending on the form of sensorineural hearing loss is presented in Figure 4.

The effectiveness of treatment was directly dependent on the age of the patients and the time between the onset of the disease and the start of treatment. Treatment was least effective in patients over 60 years of age and in patients with chronic sensorineural hearing loss. Treatment is most effective for acute sensorineural hearing loss. For chronic sensorineural hearing loss, the use of Betaserc helps stabilize the process and improve overall well-being.

To stop the further development of sensorineural hearing loss, it is advisable to carry out repeated courses of treatment with Betaserc at a dosage of 48 mg per day 2-3 times a year.

Reference

Noise in ears

is a phenomenon that is described as a sound sensation that occurs in the head and is not associated with an external acoustic stimulus. In the specialized medical literature, ear noise is usually called tinnitus (from the Latin verb tinnire - to ring).

Tinnitus can be objective

, when it can be recorded using auscultation and other instrumental methods of examining the patient, and
subjective
, when the noise perceived by patients cannot be recorded and assessed from the outside; despite the fact that subjective noise occurs in the absence of a real sound source, as a rule, this does not exclude the presence of various pathologies in any area of the sound analyzer. It is impossible to directly register subjective ear noise, as already noted. Of the many proposed indirect methods for measuring subjective ear noise, the most informative are the psychophysical methods of noise metry: “equal loudness” and “overlap”.

Subjective tinnitus

– this is an informational (signal) symptom (similar to the sensation of pain), a kind of “cry for help”, signaling the body about a pathological process. Subjective ear noise is one of the main, constant and often the earliest symptoms in various diseases of the organ of hearing, both conductive and perceptual, but can also occur in cases of dysfunction of other organs and systems.

The prevalence of subjective ear noise among the population is very significant. It has been established that every fifth adult is susceptible to subjective tinnitus to some degree, periodically or constantly, although more than half of them do not seek medical help.

Mechanisms of development of subjective tinnitus

, and in many cases the etiological factors, are not clear enough. To date, many hypotheses have been proposed for the pathogenesis of subjective ear noise, including theories of self-listening, nonspecific irritation, reflex switching, etc. Subjective noise can be regarded as a phantom of auditory perception: the perception of sound heard “in the ears” or “in the head” is very real, but is not connected to an external sound source. Every person hears this sound after exposure to loud noise or while in complete silence. The constant presence of noise in most cases (about 75%) is a habit of reacting to a signal, causing only slight discomfort.

However, none of the hypotheses is able to give a convincing answer why not all patients have tinnitus with the same disease, which parts of the auditory analyzer are responsible for the appearance of this auditory sensation, and how to explain the appearance of such symptoms in a number of people with normal hearing .

It is believed that the main causes of subjective tinnitus may be:

metabolic disorders (vascular atherosclerosis, hepatitis, diabetes mellitus, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism); diseases of the outer, middle, inner ear (cerumen plug, exostosis of the external auditory canal, external otitis, otitis media, otosclerosis, tumors of the tympanic cavity, labyrinthitis, sensorineural hearing loss, acoustic and barotrauma, Meniere's disease); tumors of the cerebellopontine angle, brain, neuroma of the VIII cranial nerve; intoxication (ototoxic drugs, benzene, methyl alcohol); pathology of the cervical spine (osteodystrophic changes, instability); vibration, noise; psychoneurological diseases (multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, depressive states).

Source: Laesus De Liro

Adverse symptoms and signs of overdose

Patients taking Betaserc are likely to experience nausea and dyspepsia. These symptoms are considered to occur frequently. There is additional information in the medical literature about possible undesirable effects, but the frequency of their occurrence cannot be judged today, since there is not enough information for analysis. The list of these “side effects” includes hypersensitivity reactions (rash, itching, urticaria, angioedema, anaphylactic reaction), vomiting, bloating.

Other symptoms are observed in case of overdose. It occurs due to deliberate intake of high doses. Experts have encountered symptoms resulting from doses up to 640 mg. Patients experienced drowsiness, nausea, and abdominal pain. Much more severe symptoms have been observed when taking even higher doses in combination with overdose from other medications. In practice, there were cases with seizures and cardiopulmonary complications.

Undesirable symptoms are observed when combining alcohol and Betaserc. They are caused by ethyl alcohol. People feel worse, have headaches, etc. It is not known about any special symptoms that arise specifically due to the interaction of Betaserc with alcohol.

Prices and analogues

The price of "Betaserc" depends on the number of tablets and dosage:

a package of 30 tablets of 8 mg costs an average of 420 rubles;
a pack of 30 tablets of 16 mg costs about 600 rubles;
a pack of 20 tablets of 24 mg can be purchased for 530 rubles;
a package with 60 tablets of 24 mg costs about 1200 rubles.

Complete analogues of “Betaserc” are “Betaver”, “Betagistin”. All these drugs are made based on the same active substance. For this reason, the indications for use are the same. The differences between medications are in prices. For example, Betagistin, produced by Ozon LLC, costs about 50 rubles per package of 8 mg tablets. The same drug, but manufactured by another), costs approximately 70 rubles per pack of 30 tablets of 24 mg.

Interaction with other drugs

In order to study the interaction of Betaserc with other drugs, special experiments on animals and humans were not conducted. Only in vitro studies were performed. One of the results revealed inhibition of the metabolism of betahistine dihydrochloride by drugs that inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO). This discovery gave rise to a recommendation on the need to exercise caution when prescribing Betaserc and MAO inhibitors simultaneously.

There is also a theoretical assumption about the effect of Betaserc on the effectiveness of drugs that block H1-histamine receptors. The thing is that betahistine is considered a partial agonist of H1-histamine receptors, that is, it increases the response of the receptors.

So, we reviewed the instructions for using Betaserk, prices, analogues. Reviews about this drug are quite good. Every practicing neurologist knows him. Experts say that Betaserc effectively eliminates disorders of the vestibular and cochlear apparatus, reduces the intensity and frequency of dizziness, reduces tinnitus, and improves deteriorating hearing. Thanks to this drug, good treatment results are achieved with minor or no side effects.

Characteristics of the drug

Betaserc belongs to the group of histamine drugs, the action of which is aimed at suppressing the negative manifestations that arise during the functioning of the vestibular apparatus.

Treatment with this medication is carried out over a long period of time, so the issue affecting the combination of “Betaserc and alcohol” is one of the central ones.

Betaserc is a histamine drug aimed at improving vestibular function

This drug reduces the intensity of negative symptoms that appear during hypoxia and cervical osteochondrosis. The drug affects histamine receptors in body structures (inner ear, central nervous system) and improves histamine metabolism.

This process leads to the dilation of blood vessels and improved blood supply to tissues. The medicine also has a positive effect on the vestibular apparatus, normalizing its functioning.

Betaserc is available in the format of round white tablets. The main active ingredient of the drug is betahistine dihydrochloride (24 mg in 1 tablet).

The excipients included in the medication include the following components:

microcrystalline cellulose (242 mg);
mannitol (75 mg);
citric acid monohydrate (7.5 mg);
colloidal silicon dioxide (7.5 mg);
talc (19 mg).

Indications and contraindications for use

The histamine mainly affects the vestibular apparatus and does not put much strain on the liver. It is known that this drug can be mixed with alcohol in small doses.

But the compatibility of Betaserc and alcohol has not been clinically studied, so doctors do not recommend experimenting with such combinations.

Betaserc is used for disorders of the vestibular apparatus of various etiologies

In medical practice, Betaserc is used to restore the function of the vestibular apparatus and eliminate associated symptoms. The medicine is used to treat Meniere's syndrome, a condition caused by the accumulation of fluid in the cavity of the inner ear.

The progressive syndrome is accompanied by severe dizziness and attacks of loss of balance. The drug Betaserc helps in eliminating annoying symptoms.

The drug is known to be used for the following manifestations and diseases:

cervical osteochondrosis;
labyrinthine disorders;
dropsy of the inner ear;
hearing loss;
headache;
hypoxia.

The drug is considered safe, but has some contraindications for use.

This medication is not prescribed for the following conditions in the patient:

adrenal tumor (pheochromocytoma);
bronchial asthma;
gastrointestinal ulcer;
first trimester of pregnancy;
breastfeeding period;
childhood.

Compatibility of Betaserk with alcohol

The interaction of Betaserc with alcohol has not been fully studied, but any mixing of alcohol with any medication is undesirable during treatment.

The medicine is indicated for the improvement of people suffering from coordination problems, so combining therapy with alcohol intake is a rather stupid and thoughtless step.

The main recommendation for the use of Betaserc is oxygen starvation of tissues (hypoxia), which occurs due to polluted air, excessive smoking and drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol during therapy only worsens the patient's condition.

Doctors do not recommend combining Betaserc with alcoholic beverages

So is it possible to take Betaserc and alcohol? The symptoms of the diseases for which this medicine is used are in many ways similar to alcohol intoxication, so you should not increase the manifestations of the intoxication state by using alcohol.

The combination of the drug and alcohol can nullify the positive therapeutic effect of the drug.

The results of mixing the medicine with ethanol have not been tested, but in some situations Betaserc and alcohol in combination can lead to side effects. Excessive use of alcoholic beverages leads to the death of neurons, which aggravates the current situation.

Possible consequences for the body

Some people experience increased sensitivity to certain components of the drug - in this case, side effects occur.

The histamine Betaserc is considered a safe drug, the use of which rarely leads to side effects.

Betaserc and alcohol in combination may be accompanied by the occurrence of negative symptoms:

digestive disorders (vomiting, nausea, bloating, heartburn);
changes in the functioning of the central nervous system (headaches, darkening of the eyes, tinnitus);
allergic reactions (urticaria, skin itching, burning).

A sharp dilation of blood vessels that occurs when the drug is mixed with ethanol leads to increased stress on the heart and a deterioration in the general condition. Alcoholic drinks plunge the brain into a state of hypoxia, which is expressed in symptoms of intoxication.

Conclusion

Betaserc and alcohol are an undesirable combination that may cancel the therapeutic effect.

This combination may be accompanied by increased side effects.

Therefore, doctors do not recommend combining the drug and alcohol-containing drinks.