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Decongestants
A decongestant, or nasal decongestant, is a type of pharmaceutical drug that is used to relieve nasal congestion in the upper respiratory tract. The active ingredient in most decongestants is either pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine (the latter of which has disputed effectiveness). Intranasal corticosteroids can also be used as decongestants and antihistamines can be used to alleviate runny nose, nasal itch, and sneezing. Topical decongestants on topical application as dilute solution (0.05–0.1%) produce local vasoconstriction. Regular use of decongestants for long periods should be avoided because mucosal ciliary function is impaired: atrophic rhinitis and anosmia (loss of the sense of smell) can occur due to persistent vasoconstriction. Decongestants can be absorbed from the nose via an inhaler and produce systemic effects, mainly central nervous system stimulation and rise in blood pressure. These drugs should be used cautiously in hypertensives and in those receiving mon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Common Cold
The common cold or the cold is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract that primarily affects the respiratory mucosa of the nose, throat, sinuses, and larynx. Signs and symptoms may appear fewer than two days after exposure to the virus. These may include coughing, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, headache, and fever. People usually recover in seven to ten days, but some symptoms may last up to three weeks. Occasionally, those with other health problems may develop pneumonia. Well over 200 virus strains are implicated in causing the common cold, with rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, adenoviruses and enteroviruses being the most common. They spread through the air during close contact with infected people or indirectly through contact with objects in the environment, followed by transfer to the mouth or nose. Risk factors include going to child care facilities, not sleeping well, and psychological stress. The symptoms are mostly due to the body's immune ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Topical Decongestant
Topical decongestants are decongestants applied directly to the nasal cavity. Their effectiveness by themselves in the common cold appears to have a small benefit in adults. Topical decongestants should only be used by patients for a maximum of 5–7 days in a row, because rebound congestion may occur in the form of rhinitis medicamentosa. When used in adults for a short period of time side effects appear to be few. Mechanism of action Topical decongestants are vasoconstrictors, and work by constricting the blood vessels within the nasal cavity. Examples * Ephedrine * Levomethamphetamine * Naphazoline * Oxymetazoline * Phenylephrine * Pseudoephedrine * Tramazoline * Xylometazoline See also * Decongestant * Nasal irrigation * Nasal spray Nasal sprays are used to deliver medications locally in the nasal cavities or systemically. They are used locally for conditions such as nasal congestion and allergic rhinitis. In some situations, the nasal delivery route is preferred for syst ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phenylephrine
Phenylephrine is a medication primarily used as a decongestant, to dilate the pupil, to increase blood pressure, and to relieve hemorrhoids. In the United States, it was previously used orally as an over-the-counter decongestant to relieve nasal congestion due to sinusitis, but this use was discontinued in 2007. As of 2022, its use as a nasal decongestant in other applications still persists. Phenylephrine can be taken by mouth, as a nasal spray, given by injection into a vein or muscle, or applied to the skin. Common side effects when taken by mouth or injected include nausea, vomiting, headache, and anxiety. Use on hemorrhoids is generally well tolerated. Severe side effects may include a slow heart rate, intestinal ischemia, chest pain, kidney failure, and tissue death at the site of injection. It is unclear if use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is safe. Phenylephrine is a selective α1-adrenergic receptor agonist which results in the constriction of both arteries and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phenylephrine
Phenylephrine is a medication primarily used as a decongestant, to dilate the pupil, to increase blood pressure, and to relieve hemorrhoids. In the United States, it was previously used orally as an over-the-counter decongestant to relieve nasal congestion due to sinusitis, but this use was discontinued in 2007. As of 2022, its use as a nasal decongestant in other applications still persists. Phenylephrine can be taken by mouth, as a nasal spray, given by injection into a vein or muscle, or applied to the skin. Common side effects when taken by mouth or injected include nausea, vomiting, headache, and anxiety. Use on hemorrhoids is generally well tolerated. Severe side effects may include a slow heart rate, intestinal ischemia, chest pain, kidney failure, and tissue death at the site of injection. It is unclear if use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is safe. Phenylephrine is a selective α1-adrenergic receptor agonist which results in the constriction of both arteries and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine (PSE) is a sympathomimetic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine chemical classes. It may be used as a nasal/sinus decongestant, as a stimulant, or as a wakefulness-promoting agent in higher doses. It was first characterized in 1889 by the German chemists Ladenburg and Oelschlägel, who used a sample that had been isolated from ''Ephedra vulgaris'' by the Merck pharmaceutical corporation of Darmstadt, Germany. The salts pseudoephedrine hydrochloride and pseudoephedrine sulfate are found in many over-the-counter preparations, either as a single ingredient or (more commonly) in a fixed-dose combination with one or more additional active ingredients such as antihistamines, guaifenesin, dextromethorphan, paracetamol (acetaminophen) or an NSAID (such as aspirin or ibuprofen). Medical uses Pseudoephedrine is a stimulant, but it is well known for shrinking swollen nasal mucous membranes, so it is often used as a decongestant. It reduces tissue hyperemia, ede ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guaifenesin
Guaifenesin, also known as glyceryl guaiacolate, is an expectorant medication that aids in the elimination of sputum from the respiratory tract. Chemically it is an ether of guaiacol and glycerine. It is often used in combination with other medications. It is taken by mouth. Side effects may include dizziness, sleepiness, skin rash, and nausea. While it has not been properly studied in pregnancy, it appears to be safe. It is believed to work by making airway secretions more liquid. Guaifenesin has been used medically since at least 1933. It is available as a generic medication and over the counter. In 2020, it was the 324th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 800,000 prescriptions. Medical use Guaifenesin is used to try to help with coughing up thick mucus and is sometimes combined with dextromethorphan, an antitussive (cough suppressant), such as in Mucinex DM or Robitussin DM. It is also combined with ephedrine to produce Primatene and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nasal Congestion
Nasal congestion is the blockage of nasal breathing usually due to membranes lining the nose becoming swollen from inflamed blood vessels. Background In about 85% of cases, nasal congestion leads to mouth breathing rather than nasal breathing. According to Jason Turowski, MD of the Cleveland Clinic, "we are designed to breathe through our noses from birth—it's the way humans have evolved." This is referred to as "obligate nasal breathing." Nasal congestion can interfere with hearing and speech. Significant congestion may interfere with sleep, cause snoring, and can be associated with sleep apnea or upper airway resistance syndrome. In children, nasal congestion from enlarged adenoids has caused chronic sleep apnea with insufficient oxygen levels and hypoxia. The problem usually resolves after surgery to remove the adenoids and tonsils, however the problem often relapses later in life due to craniofacial alterations from chronic nasal congestion. Causes * Allergies, like ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mucus
Mucus ( ) is a slippery aqueous secretion produced by, and covering, mucous membranes. It is typically produced from cells found in mucous glands, although it may also originate from mixed glands, which contain both serous and mucous cells. It is a viscous colloid containing inorganic salts, antimicrobial enzymes (such as lysozymes), immunoglobulins (especially IgA), and glycoproteins such as lactoferrin and mucins, which are produced by goblet cells in the mucous membranes and submucosal glands. Mucus serves to protect epithelial cells in the linings of the respiratory, digestive, and urogenital systems, and structures in the visual and auditory systems from pathogenic fungi, bacteria and viruses. Most of the mucus in the body is produced in the gastrointestinal tract. Amphibians, fish, snails, slugs, and some other invertebrates also produce external mucus from their epidermis as protection against pathogens, and to help in movement and is also produced in fish to line the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sinusitis
Sinusitis, also known as rhinosinusitis, is inflammation of the nasal mucosa, mucous membranes that line the paranasal sinuses, sinuses resulting in symptoms that may include thick Mucus#Respiratory system, nasal mucus, a nasal congestion, plugged nose, and Orofacial pain, facial pain. Other signs and symptoms may include fever, headaches, a hyposmia, poor sense of smell, sore throat, a feeling that phlegm is oozing out from the back of the nose to the throat along with a necessity to clear the throat frequently and frequent attacks of cough. Generally sinusitis starts off as a common viral infection like common cold. This infection generally subsides within 5 to 7 days. During this time the nasal structures can swell and facilitate the stagnation of fluids in sinuses that leads to acute (medicine), acute sinusitis which lasts from 6th day of the infection to 15th day. From the 15th day to 45th day of the infection comes the subacute stage followed by chronic (medicine), chronic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vasoconstriction
Vasoconstriction is the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels, in particular the large arteries and small arterioles. The process is the opposite of vasodilation, the widening of blood vessels. The process is particularly important in controlling hemorrhage and reducing acute blood loss. When blood vessels constrict, the flow of blood is restricted or decreased, thus retaining body heat or increasing vascular resistance. This makes the skin turn paler because less blood reaches the surface, reducing the radiation of heat. On a larger level, vasoconstriction is one mechanism by which the body regulates and maintains mean arterial pressure. Medications causing vasoconstriction, also known as vasoconstrictors, are one type of medicine used to raise blood pressure. Generalized vasoconstriction usually results in an increase in systemic blood pressure, but it may also occur in specific tissues, causing a localized reduction in bl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Allergy
Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, refer a number of conditions caused by the hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic dermatitis, allergic asthma, and anaphylaxis. Symptoms may include red eyes, an itchy rash, sneezing, coughing, a runny nose, shortness of breath, or swelling. Note: food intolerances and food poisoning are separate conditions. Common allergens include pollen and certain foods. Metals and other substances may also cause such problems. Food, insect stings, and medications are common causes of severe reactions. Their development is due to both genetic and environmental factors. The underlying mechanism involves immunoglobulin E antibodies (IgE), part of the body's immune system, binding to an allergen and then to a receptor on mast cells or basophils where it triggers the release of inflammatory chemicals such as histamine. Diagnosis is ty ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pharmaceutical Drug
A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and relies on the science of pharmacology for continual advancement and on pharmacy for appropriate management. Drugs are classified in multiple ways. One of the key divisions is by level of control, which distinguishes prescription drugs (those that a pharmacist dispenses only on the order of a physician, physician assistant, or qualified nurse) from over-the-counter drugs (those that consumers can order for themselves). Another key distinction is between traditional small molecule drugs, usually derived from chemical synthesis, and biopharmaceuticals, which include recombinant proteins, vaccines, blood products used therapeutically (such as IVIG), gene therapy, monoclonal antibodies and cell therapy (for instance, stem cell therapies) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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