|
||||
| Lopez Island | Orcas Island | Visitor's Guide | ||
                        |
||
| Email this page to a friend | ||
| |||||||||||||||||
COLUMN BY SUSAN HILL |
|
Extremes at Both Ends - Anorexia and Bulimia to Obesity Making sense of Cholesterol's ABCs |
OTC Cough and Cold Products—Are they safe or effective?
posted 1/28/2008 There are no new or magical drugs to treat colds, just clever packaging and endless marketing. There are four basic categories of drugs used to treat cold symptoms. Antihistamines, decongestants, cough suppressants and expectorants. Antihistamines for sneezing and runny nose, decongestants for stuffy noses and syrups or gels to loosen mucus or suppress coughs—we all know the drill from years of heavy marketing of these products worth sales of over $3.5 billion per year . Most of these items are promoted in a dizzying array of combinations that give you several drugs in one dose. Many also add acetaminophen, aspirin or ibuprofen to relieve fever and aches. Drugs in each class and common brand names are as follows:
Analgesics do relieve fever and aching. The rest of the drugs are promoted with various claims but they have little or no benefit when subjected to research. And are they safe? Not necessarily. The FDA recently recommended avoiding all except the analgesics in children under age two, due to overdose toxicity from use of combination products, fatal arrhythmias from the stimulant effects of decongestants, and seizures from use of diphenhydramine. These products may also contain dyes, alcohol, sugar or artificial sweeteners and other substances that can trigger adverse or allergic reactions. Adults can be harmed by these drugs as well. All decongestants can cause severe elevations in blood pressure, especially if there is underlying hypertension. The expectorant guaifenesin can cause dizziness and nausea. Dextromethorphan, the cough suppressant, can cause nausea, blurred vision, psychological symptoms and very adverse effects if mixed with several commonly prescribed antidepressant meds. Antihistamines can worsen sinus and ear infectious as their drying effects create very thick secretions. They can also cause drowsiness and confusion which is especially worrisome in fall-prone elderly people. Faced with so many brands, mixtures, promises and hazards, what’s a miserable person to do? The golden rule for colds still holds: rest and fluids. Add some extra vitamin C, try gargles and herbal teas specifically blended for colds (eg. Cold Care and Throat Coat). Use lozenges and non-drug cough drops. With or without drugs, the cold will be gone in 5-10 days and your immunity boosted against that virus. If you want to use a cold product, start with a single drug formula of short duration rather than a mixture or timed release product. That way you can determine the culprit if you do have any adverse effects. If you use a nasal spray decongestant, never exceed dosing or 3 days total use. If you are pregnant, consult your health provider before using any product. Don’t treat children under two years of age and do not exceed dose amounts or intervals in children over two years. Avoid using combination products with children. And cheer up. Your misery has lots of company this time of year! Susan C. Hill © 2008 To comment on the column, email susan@sanjuanislander.com |
|
|
SAN JUAN ISLANDER © 2008 |
||
