Cough and Cold Medicines

There are hundreds of nonprescription (over-the-counter or OTC) drugs available to treat symptoms of the common cold and other minor respiratory illnesses.

Some of these drugs contain a single active ingredient that relieves one specific symptom (such as a cough). Other drugs contain combinations of two or more ingredients intended to relieve a number of different symptoms (such as a cough, stuffy nose and pain).

Each of the active ingredients in a drug has a generic (or chemical) name. Generics are names such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin, pseudoephedrine, guaifenesin, diphenhydramine and others.

Cough and cold drugs can be sorted into five categories (or classes). They include:

Antihistamines dry up secretions of the respiratory tract and help control allergy symptoms. Antihistamines may cause drowsiness, slow reflexes and decrease ability to concentrate. Therefore, don’t drive vehicles or pilot aircraft until you learn how this medicine affects you. Don’t work around dangerous machinery. Don’t climb ladders or work in high places. The danger increases if you drink alcohol or take other medicines that affect alertness and reflexes. Antihistamines can cause other side effects or adverse reactions.

Decongestants relieve symptoms of nasal or bronchial congestion. Decongestants may cause nervousness, irregular heartbeats in some people, dizziness, confusion and other side effects. Conduct your daily activities with these effects in mind.

Antitussives (Cough suppressants) reduce the frequency and severity of a cough. These may be either narcotic (e.g., codeine and hydrocodone) or non-narcotic (e.g., dextromethorphan or carbetapentane). Narcotic cough suppressants are habit-forming and may cause some of the same mental changes that can take place with antihistamines. The most common non-narcotic antitussive—dextromethorphan—is not habit-forming but has other side effects. Carbetapentane is a similar drug (but not covered in this book).

Expectorants loosen secretions to make them easier to cough up. The most common expectorant is guaifenesin, which has very few side effects.

Analgesics relieve aches, pains and fever. Common analgesics in cough and cold medicines are aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

These nonprescription drugs are generally recognized as safe, but they do have side effects, possible interactions with other drugs, and need to be used with caution in certain individuals.

There is no drug that will cure a cold (including antibiotics). If you decide to take a drug for specific symptoms, a single ingredient one is usually a better choice, unless each of the drug’s ingredients is necessary to relieve your particular symptoms. Before taking a drug, read the label and follow all the directions. Also, read the information in this book about the drug’s generic ingredients. To find information about a drug:

• Look on the label for the generic ingredients that are in the drug product.

• Consult the index for each generic name and find the page number for its drug chart. Then look up each drug chart. Read all the information, especially regarding the adverse reactions and side effects, precautions, and interactions with other drugs you may be taking.

Always consult a doctor if any cold symptoms cause you concern.

Practice prevention—wash your hands often and keep your hands away from your face.

Nonprescription cough and cold drugs in children

• Read the label to be sure it is approved for your child’s age. Labels advise you not to use these medicines in children under age 4. Do not give children medications labeled only for adults.

• Choose nonprescription cough and cold medicines with child-resistant safety caps, when available. After using, make sure to close the cap tightly and store the medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

• Check the “active ingredients” section of the DRUG FACTS label of the medicines that you choose. This will help you know what symptoms the “active ingredients” in the medicine are intended to treat.

• Be careful about giving more than one medicine to a child. If you do, make sure they do not have the same type of “active ingredients.” If you use two medicines that have the same or similar active ingredients, a child could get too much of an ingredient and that may hurt your child.

• Carefully follow the directions for how to use the medicine in the DRUG FACTS part of the label. The directions tell you how much medicine to give and how often you can give it. If you have a question about how to use the medicine, ask your pharmacist or doctor. Overuse or misuse of these products can lead to serious and potentially life threatening side effects.

• Only use measuring devices that come with the medicine or those specially made for measuring drugs. Do not use common household spoons to measure medicines for children because household spoons come in different sizes and are not meant for measuring medicines.

• Understand that using nonprescription cough and cold medicines does not cure the cold or cough. These medicines only treat the symptom(s) such as runny nose, congestion, fever and aches. They do not shorten the length of time your child is sick.