Introduction
Novalgin® drops with the active ingredient Metamizol are prescription-only drops for pain treatment. Due to the possible side effects Novalgin® drops are less and less prescribed although the active substance has good, antipyretic and analgesic properties. In hospitals, where a close observation of the patient is possible, Novalgin® drops are still frequently used because of their good effectiveness despite possible side effects.
Fields of application
Novalgin® drops are used for Novalgin® drops are to be seen as a reserve drug, i.e. they are only used when other drugs with fewer side effects are not successful.
- Strong to very strong pain
- After operations or injuries
- Tumor pain or similar pain conditions
- High fever
- When other drugs have been unsuccessful
The exact dosage of Novalgin® drops as well as the duration of application is individually adjusted by the doctor to the needs of the respective patient. General dosage guidelines for Novalgin®-drops are
- Infants (3-11 months) of 5-8 kg body weight receive 50-125mg Novalgin® (2-5 drops) as a single dose.
Maximum daily dose: 300mg (12 drops)
- Infants (1-3 years) of 9-15 kg each receive 75 – 250mg Novalgin® (3-10 drops) as single dose. Maximum daily dose: 750mg Novalgin® (30 drops)
- 4-6 years of age at 16-23 kg receive 125 – 375mg Novalgin® (5-15 drops) as single dose. Maximum daily dose: 1125mg Novalgin® (45 drops)
- 7-9 years: 24-30 kg each receive 200 – 500mg Novalgin® (8-20 drops) as single dose.
Maximum daily dose: 1500mg Novalgin® (60 drops)
- 10-12 years of age at 31-45 kg receive 250 – 750mg Novalgin® (10-30 drops) as a single dose. Maximum daily dose: 2250mg Novalgin® (90 drops).
Novalgin® and alcohol are not compatible and should therefore not be taken at the same time. One reason for this is that both are metabolized by the liver.
Taken together, both are broken down more slowly. As a result, alcohol accumulates especially in the brain and triggers classic alcohol-related symptoms. Novalgin® also accumulates in the body if it cannot be broken down regularly.
This can lead to an overdose. Symptoms of an overdose are abdominal pain up to nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, unconsciousness, drop in blood pressure and heart rhythm disturbances. If the patient has a kidney dysfunction with decreased creatinine clearance or is in poor general condition, the dose of Novalgin® drops should be reduced.
If Novalgin® drops were used once, the symptoms should improve after about one and a half hours. If this is not the case, a further single dose can be taken after consultation with the doctor until the maximum daily dose is reached. There should be at least one and a half hours between each intake to wait for Novalgin® drops to take effect and to prevent overdosage as this can lead to considerable side effects.
Novalgin® drops should be taken with some water. In order to achieve an even dosage, the bottle should always be held vertically and shaken before taking the required amount of Novalgin® drops.
- Children (13-14 years) à 46-53 kg: receive 375 – 875mg Novalgin® (15-35 drops) as single dose.
Maximum daily dose: 2625mg Novalgin®(105 drops)
- Adults and adolescents over 15 years à at least 53 kg: 500-1000mg Novalgin®(20-40 drops) as single dose. Maximum daily dose: 3000 mg Novalgin®(120 drops)
In addition to the active ingredient Metamizole, Novalgin® drops contain the following non-pharmacologically active ingredients:
- Purified water
- Flavoring
- Sodium dihydrogen phosphate
- Sodium monohydrogen phosphate
- Saccharin sodium dihydrate
Novalgin®, also known as metamizole, is a pyrazole derivative and belongs to the group of non-acidic, non-opioid analgesics. Novalgin® drops have analgesic effects in mild, moderate and severe acute and chronic pain conditions.
They are antipyretic, but are only used as a reserve remedy in cases of very high fever. They also have a spasmolytic effect on colic. This means that they relieve spasms of the smooth muscles of the vessels and intestines.
However, their exact mechanism of action is unclear.For this reason Novalgin® drops are not recommended for pregnant women, mothers in the lactation period and children under ten years of age. They should only be taken after consulting a doctor, as they interact with many different drugs. The usual dose is up to 4000 mg of metamizole as the maximum daily dose for adults and adolescents aged 15 years and older and weighing at least 53 kg.
The single dose should not exceed 500 to 1000 mg. Caution is advised in patients with kidney and liver dysfunction. Novalgin® drops should generally not be taken for more than three to five days without further consultation with the treating physician.
Novalgin® is not anti-inflammatory. It helps with severe and chronic pain and fever. However, in case of inflammation, whether acute or chronic, other painkillers should be used. Anti-inflammatory painkillers include ibuprofen and aspirin. You should discuss with your doctor which medication is right for you.
