
When we talk about decongestant drugs, we generally refer to all those active ingredients used in medicine to combat nasal congestion.
Best medication for nasal congestion
Nasal congestion is a symptom of many respiratory disorders and is characterized by inflammation of the nasal mucosa accompanied by vasodilatation, swelling and accumulation of mucus. You can also find out a cure for your nasal problems in Perth. Visit their clinic to find out more.
The main causes of the stuffy nose may be in pathological conditions, such as colds, allergies, nasal polyps, and sinusitis. Nasal congestion can create more or less marked situations of discomfort, for this reason – besides the treatment of the primary cause that caused the symptom – it may be useful to resort to the use of decongestant drugs that can give relief to the patient.
Active ingredients and routes of administration
Most of the decongestant drugs that are used for the treatment of the stuffy nose is nasal sprays, although some of them are also available in formulations for oral use. The commonly used decongestant drugs are active ingredients with direct sympathomimetic activity. Among these decongestant drugs, the most used are:
Ephedrine (Argotone)
- Phenylephrine (Tachifludec), this active ingredient is available in pharmaceutical formulations for topical use which is for oral use. In addition, phenylephrine is also used in ophthalmology, where it is used as a mydriatic agent.
- Naphazoline (Rinazina, Imidazyl Antihistamine, Eye Drops Alpha, Indaco); Naphazoline is used as a decongestant of both the nasal mucosa and the ocular mucosa, for this reason, it is available in pharmaceutical formulations such as nasal sprays and eye drops.
- Xylometazoline (Actigrip nasal, Otrivin, Argonne nasal decongestant), also, in this case, xylometazoline is an active ingredient used as both nasal and ocular decongestant.
- Oxymetazoline (Actifed nasal, Vicks Sinex). Most of these decongestants can be found in pharmaceutical preparations either alone or in combination with other active ingredients with properties similar to them, or in combination with an antihistamine, antibacterial or antipyretic drugs (such as paracetamol).
Action mechanism
As stated above, the decongestants commonly used are agonists of alpha-1 adrenergic receptors. Thanks to their activity, these active ingredients are able to induce constriction of the smooth muscle of the blood vessels present in the nasal mucosa. In doing so, the decongestants reduce the local blood flow, thus decreasing the swelling that characterizes the state of nasal congestion and favoring the patency of the upper airways.
Side effects
Generally, decongestant drugs are well tolerated and cause side effects in rare cases. However, the main side effects that may occur are headache, hypertension, tachycardia, and insomnia. Moreover, following the abuse and the use for long periods of time of the aforementioned decongestant drugs, a sort of paradoxical effect can occur that causes a worsening of the symptoms of the closed nose.