Monday, April 28, 2014

Common Allergies and Medications

A summary of common medication for treating allergies grouped by their purpose:

Expectorant
Active ingredient: Guaifenesin (400-600 mg)
Thins and loosens mucus, making it easier to be coughed out. [1]

(Nasal) Decongestant
Active ingredient: Phenylephrine (10 mg), Pseudoephedrine (part of Decondine)
Relieves nasal congestion in the upper respiratory tract by constricting blood vessels and reducing the blood supply to nasal mucous membranes. This reduces nasal congestion, stuffiness, and runny noses. [1]

Antihistamine
Active ingredient: Loratadine (10 mg), Triprolidine (part of Decondine)
Reduce or block histamines. Histamine is an organic compound produced by local immune responses. It results in running nose and sneezing. [1] [2] [3]

Suppressants
Active ingredient: Dextromethorphan (20 mg)
Used for temporarily cough relief; suppresses cough reflex. [1]

Pain Reliever
Active ingredient: Acetaminophen (650 mg)
Main purpose is to treat headaches and minor body pain. Also reduces fever.

Note: This blog post is not an accurate source of medical information. Consult a doctor if you have a medical concern.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dr Teh, time to update your blog!

-wg

Unknown said...

I also saw a longer full-depth article over Guaifenesin (Mucinex). You can check it from
here