Korodin
What is Korodin?
Korodin drops are herbal medicinal products for use in cardiovascular complaints. Korodin drops are used for circulatory problems and dizziness and are sometimes used as an additive in the therapy of heart failure.
The effectiveness is controversial. Korodin drops are a well-tolerated product that can be purchased in pharmacies without a prescription.
Indications for Korodin
The indications for taking Korodin drops are cardiovascular complaints such as dizziness or fainting attacks due to a drop in blood pressure (orthostatic circulatory disorders) or low blood pressure, also known as hypotension. Symptoms here may include dizziness, paleness, cold extremities and fatigue.
In addition, Korodin can be used for accompanying therapy when the heart's performance is declining (so-called heart failure stage I or II according to NYHA, the New York Heart Association). Heart failure requires medical control and medication prescription, Korodin is only suitable as an additive to therapy according to medical guidelines.
Korodin can also be used in therapy with the cardiac glycoside digitalis. Users should definitely inform their doctor about taking Korodin drops.
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Can you take Korodin if you have high blood pressure?
The indication for taking Korodin drops is low blood pressure, i.e. hypotension. High blood pressure is not one of the indications listed in the package insert. In naturopathy, however, hawthorn is also an effective remedy for hypertension, high blood pressure.
In the case of high blood pressure, it would be more advisable to use an alternative preparation with hawthorn extract, which is explicitly suitable for use in high blood pressure. Since high blood pressure is a disease with numerous consequential damages, high blood pressure must always be clarified by a doctor and, under certain circumstances, treated with other medication.
Can you take Korodin if you have a racing heart?
Palpitations are not an explicit indication for Korodin drops. However, there are numerous reports that report the effectiveness of Korodin drops on palpitations. Hawthorn tea is also known as a home remedy for palpitations. Tachycardia, as palpitations of the heart is medically called, should be clarified medically if it occurs frequently over a longer period of time.
Do I need a prescription for Korodin drops?
Korodin drops are available without a prescription, but only from a pharmacy. This means that although they are available without a prescription, they can only be obtained from pharmacies. Users should seek advice from a doctor or pharmacist before taking, as it is by no means a harmless drug.
Always take Korodin drops only as instructed by your doctor or pharmacist and read the package insert carefully.
effect
The ingredients of Korodin cardiovascular drops are camphor and liquid extract from fresh hawthorn berries. It also contains the aromatic substance levomenthol. The latter contains 60% alcohol by volume, which is why its use in children is not recommended.
Patients with liver disease as well as those suffering from alcoholism should also take this into account. Camphor is a synthetically produced medicine that was originally obtained from the essential oil of the camphor tree.
Camphor has a blood circulation, analgesic and expectorant effect, which is why it is also used for colds. Hawthorn extract (also called Crataegus), as contained in Korodin drops, is said to protect the cardiovascular system by activating protective mechanisms in the vessel walls.
There is also evidence that hawthorn lowers blood pressure and has a beneficial effect on lipid metabolism. In the guidelines for the treatment of heart failure it is pointed out that a relevant and reliable proof of effectiveness has not yet been provided.
The use of hawthorn is not considered sensible. However, there are indications that patients with milder forms of heart failure (stage NYHA I and II) definitely benefit from additional therapy with a sufficiently high dose of hawthorn extract.
side effect
Hypersensitivity can lead to allergy symptoms. Patients with bronchial asthma or other respiratory diseases are also not allowed to take Korodin drops, as this can lead to shortness of breath or asthma attacks.
Infants and toddlers under two years of age can suffer from laryngeal spasms when using Korodin drops due to the camphor content. Nonspecific side effects have been reported with the use of Korodin drops, including headache, dizziness, sleep disorders, restlessness, palpitations and gastrointestinal complaints.
The frequency of these side effects is not known. Patients should only take Korodin drops after medical advice and consult their doctor if the described or other side effects occur.
interaction
So far, there is no evidence of interactions when taking Korodin drops with other drugs. Users should inform their doctor about taking Korodin, even if it is a non-prescription drug.
Contraindications - When should Korodin drops not be given?
Korodin drops should not be taken if there is hypersensitivity to the ingredients of the drug. Korodin must not be used in babies and toddlers due to the alcohol content. There is also a risk of laryngeal spasms from the added essential oil.
It is also not recommended for patients with bronchial asthma or respiratory diseases, as camphor can cause shortness of breath or asthma attacks.
dosage
Unless otherwise prescribed, the usual dosage of Korodin cardiovascular drops is: 10 drops 3 times a day, on a piece of bread or sugar, which is slowly chewed. The drops can also be used undiluted on the tongue. Korodin drops should not be taken with water, as the active ingredient camphor is not water-soluble.
Depending on the severity of the complaints, the dosage can be increased to 3 times a day up to 25 drops, in which case the doctor should be consulted. In the case of fainting, five to ten drops are taken every 15 minutes until improvement occurs.
The intake of Korodin drops is also recommended for long-term treatment if the symptoms persist.
price
Korodin drops are available from pharmacies without a prescription. The selling price varies depending on the pack size. Korodin cardiovascular drops in 100 ml size are available from around € 18.
Korodin and alcohol - are they compatible?
The consumption of alcohol is not a contraindication for taking Korodin drops, which even contain small amounts of alcohol. Patients suffering from alcoholism who have had successful withdrawal should be informed about the alcohol content of medication and the risk of relapse in this context.
Alternatives to Korodin
Patients with symptoms such as dizziness or fainting due to low blood pressure, for which no serious organic cause could be determined, must in any case ensure that they drink enough fluids. Rapid changes in position, such as from lying down to standing, should also be avoided.
Alternative home remedies to Korodin drops for dizziness and circulatory problems include peppermint, mistletoe and mate. Regular exercise in the fresh air or going to the sauna can support blood circulation and circulatory stability.
In the case of heart failure, a doctor should definitely be consulted even in the initial stages, as it is a serious illness with possible serious consequential damage.
In addition to general measures such as weight reduction and salt restriction, drugs are usually required in therapy, including diuretics, beta blockers, ACE inhibitors and others. Korodin drops should only be taken as a supplement.
Can be taken during pregnancy and breastfeeding?
So far there has been no evidence in animal experiments of a teratogenic effect from taking Korodin drops during pregnancy and breastfeeding. However, there are no studies on the use in pregnant women, and the transfer to breast milk has also not been investigated.
Apparently there is no suspicion of adverse effects on infants of nursing mothers who take Korodin drops from time to time or for many years. So Korodin drops seem safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Effectiveness of the pill
Taking Korodin drops has no effect on the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives, i.e. the pill. The active ingredient does not interact with the enzymes that are responsible for breaking down the pill and has no influence on their effective levels.
