PharmPhacts: OTC Cough and Cold Products for Patients with ...

December Newsletter Quintarious Perdue Pharm. D Candidate 2017

PharmPhacts: OTC

Cough and Cold

Products for Patients

with High Blood

Pressure

As we all know, cough and cold season is upon us once again. On average, adults get the common cold about 4 to 6 times per year. More than 200 viruses are associated with causing the common cold and its symptoms. The common cold can last anywhere between 7 to 14 days. If symptoms persist beyond 14 days or if a fever (temp of 101?F) develops during any time, it is best to go to the doctor as these are signs of an infection. There are numerous symptoms that accompany the common cold including: cough, head and chest congestion, and sneezing/runny nose. It is difficult to find the best product(s) to treat the common cold especially when there are products that should be avoided based on your health conditions.

In this Issue

Cough and Cold Symptoms Overview.....................1-2 Available Products........3-4 Products for Patients with High Blood Pressure.......5-6 References...................6

Page 1 of 7

Cough

A cough is an involuntary response and attempt by the body to remove irritating substances from the airways before reaching the lungs. Common causes of cough with the common cold is often due to sinus drainage and the attempt to clear mucus from the chest and airways. There are two types of coughs. A dry cough is a persistent cough that does not produce any mucus, whereas a productive cough is the opposite. Productive coughs should not be suppressed because that is your body's way of clearing out germs in your airways. It is safe to suppress a dry cough; however, productive coughs should only be suppressed when it is preventing you from performing day to day activities or sleeping soundly at night. Common products used to treat a dry cough are cough suppressants such as Delsym and antihistamines such as Benadryl. Productive coughs produce mucus and the best product for a productive cough is Mucinex. Mucinex contains guaifenesin which works to thin the mucus, thus making it easier for you to cough it up and clear it from your airways.

Congestion

Congestion occurs when the nasal passages become swollen which makes it difficult to breathe. Runny nose occurs commonly with congestion. These symptoms can be treated with oral decongestants and nasal sprays, such as Sudafed and Afrin, antihistamines, and expectorants such as Mucinex. Congestion also causes headaches due to the pressure in your nasal passages. Available products to treat the headache are Motrin, Advil, Aleve, and Tylenol.

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Sneezing

Sneezing is an involuntary response similar to coughing that is an attempt by the body to remove certain irritating substances from the airways. Sneezing along with an itchy throat is one of the common signs of the beginning of a cold. It is important to note the difference between sneezing due to a cold versus seasonal allergies as sneezing is a common symptom for both. Seasonal allergies are often accompanied with itchy and watery eyes whereas these symptoms are absent with the common cold, and the sinus drainage in the back of the throat usually occurs before the sneezing with the common cold.

Available Products

There are numerous products available for treating cough and cold symptoms. Common cough suppressants contain the active ingredient dextromethorphan which works to suppress the cough. Common decongestants contain either phenylephrine or pseudoephedrine. These active ingredients work to decrease the swelling in the nasal passages caused by the inflammation from the common cold. Antihistamines work by "drying up" the drainage from the sinuses and also reducing the sneezing. Certain antihistamines such as Benadryl and Chlor-Trimeton can cause drowsiness, dry mouth, and trouble going to the bathroom. However, Zyrtec, Claritin, and Allegra

PRODUCTS

Cough Suppressants Delsym Mucinex DM Robitussin DM

Decongestants Sudafed Afrin Sudafed PE Neo-Synephrine

Antihistamines Benadryl Zyrtec Claritin Allegra Chlor-Trimeton

Anesthetics Tylenol Advil Motrin Aleve

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are newer antihistamines that are not associated with those side effects and will work to do the same thing. Occasionally, a sore throat may develop from the frequent coughing during the cold. Pain relievers include Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, and Aleve which work to reduce and relieve the pain. It is important to follow the instructions available on the back of the boxes and to ask your pharmacist if you need assistance on how to use the products.

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High Blood Pressure Cough and Cold Products

Generally all cough and cold products are safe to take in patients with high blood pressure. However, decongestants that are taken by mouth such as pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine can raise blood pressure when used. Typically oral decongestants should be avoided during product selection unless a physician has decided that your blood pressure is safely controlled on blood pressure medication. When it comes to pain relievers, Tylenol is the best and safest for patients with high blood pressure unless a physician has given permission for you to take other products such as Advil and Aleve. Advil and Aleve contain Ibuprofen and Naproxen respectively. These medications are known as NSAIDs and can also raise blood pressure from long-term use. Do not worry as there are some safer alternatives...

Afrin

Afrin contains the active ingredient oxymetazoline. Oxymetazoline works the same as pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine. The only difference is that it is a nasal spray decongestant instead of oral which decreases the risk of raising blood pressure. Afrin is used twice daily for no more than three days. The reason for this specific duration is that oxymetazoline can cause congestion to return or worsen with long-term use beyond 3 days.

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