Antitussive Medications – An Overview

Antitussive Medications – An Overview

Almost all of us suffer from cough periodically and a variety of factors contributes to it. Antitussive medications, which are commonly known as cough suppressants, helps prevent activation of coughing reflex, and thereby provide relief from coughing. There are two types of coughs, the dry cough and the productive cough and it is the former which is treated through antitussives, while the latter is treated through expectorants.

Persistent dry cough can make hell for the affected person. Being a common ailment, a number of antitussives are available for treating it. However, every antitussive directly acts on the point of brain which stimulates cough reflex. These medicines are best suited to cure coughs that act alongside flu, colds etc while people suffering from coughs arising from asthma, lung diseases and emphysema are not at all administered with these drugs.

Most antitussives contain sedatives. Narcotics like codeine and heroin used to be a common sedative, but the latter is presently banned from medicinal purposes. Sedatives provides effective relief from cough and pain, but they can have an addictive effective too. Presently, the most popular and common antitussive medicine is dextromethorphan, which contains safe ingredients and can be bought without any prescriptions from the doctor. In addition, it comes in liquid form as well as capsules, tablets and lozenges. The medicine is suited to fight prolonged dry cough and provides temporary respite from cough arising out of bronchial irritation and mild throat infection.

Normally, it is children who get infected from coughs and colds. It is estimated that ten percent of all children in the United States get affected every week. It is advised that great care should be taken while administering cough drugs to children. The age and physical condition of the child has to be invariably factored in while determining the type and dosage to be administered. In addition, if the child still could not recover and is showing signs like fever, sore throat, rashes etc, there is a need to conduct further examinations to determine whether any other ailment is affecting the child.

The normal side effect of most antitussive medication is that they induce addiction, but occasionally, extended drowsiness and stomach upsets can also crop up. Dextromethorphan can occasionally cause vomiting too. In spite of the fact that antitussives are comparatively less harmful, overdose can lead to severe giddiness, breathing problems and can also result in total disorientation of senses leading to unconsciousness.