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What's in All Those Cough and Cold Medicines? Have you ever walked the aisles of your drug or grocery store and been bewildered by the vast selection of over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines? How do you know which medicine(s) to take for your symptoms? Here's a list of the most common ingredients in OTC cough, cold and flu products for both children and adults, and what they do: · ACETAMINOPHEN: a pain reliever and fever reducer for treatment of minor non-inflammatory conditions. An advantage is that it can be used in persons who are prone to stomach upset, which may occur with ibuprofen. · BROMPHENIRAMINE: an antihistamine which helps relieve sneezing; itchy, runny nose; and red, itchy watery eyes due to allergy or the common cold. · CHLORPHENIRAMINE: an antihistamine similar to brompheniramine, effective in relieving similar symptoms. · DEXTROMETHORPHAN: a cough suppressant, or "antitussive" for treating uncomplicated, nonproductive ("dry") coughs. · GUAIFENESIN: an expectorant which is thought to work by thinning and increasing lung secretions, making them easier to cough up. · IBUPROFEN: a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine that relieves pain and reduces fever. · PSEUDOEPHEDRINE: a decongestant that relieves nasal stuffiness due to allergy or the common cold. A note about the decongestant PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE (PPA): The Food and Drug Administration requested in November of 2000 that all drug companies discontinue marketing products containing PPA, a decongestant used in many cough and cold products and weight loss products. In response to a Yale University study that linked PPA to an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke, the FDA is currently taking steps to remove PPA from all drug products. You should discard any products you have which contain PPA. Read labels carefully and follow dosing directions! Various products may contain one or more of the same ingredients. You may inadvertently take too much of a medication or give your child too much. Speak with your doctor or pharmacist or call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 if you have any questions about how much of these medicines to take or how often. If you do not get better after taking these medications for 7 days; if you are running a persistent or high fever; or if you are coughing up yellow or green mucous, speak with your doctor right away.
Author: Mary E. May, RN, BA, MPH
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