Decongestant and analgesic combinations (Oral)

Class Name: decongestant and analgesic combinations (Oral route)

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

• Actamin Maximum Strength
• Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold and Sinus
• Altenol
• Aminofen
• Anacin Aspirin Free
• Apra
• Arthritis Pain Relief
• Cetafen
• Children's Mapap
• Children's Nortemp
• Comtrex Sore Throat Relief
• Dolono
• Febrol
• Genapap
• Genapap Sinus
• Genebs
• Infantaire
• Infants' Tylenol Plus Cold
• Mapap
• Mapap Arthritis Pain
• Mapap Sinus PE
• Pain-Eze +/Rheu-Thritis
• Pyrecot
• Pyregesic
• Q-Pap
• Redutemp
• Silapap
• Sinutab Sinus
• Sudafed PE Sinus Headache
• T-Painol
• Tycolene
• Tylenol

In Canada

• Actifed Sinus Regular
• Children's Tylenol Decongestant
• Contac Sinus Pain Formula
• Dimetapp Daytime Cold
• Dimetapp Extra Strength Daytime Cold
• Dristan N.D.
• Dristan N.D. Extra Strength
• Extra Strength Sinus Medication Non-Drowsy
• Extra Strength Tylenol Sinus Convenience Pack Daytime Relief
• Extra Strength Tylenol Sinus Daytime Relief
• Extra Strength Tylenol Sinus with Coolburst - Daytime
• Novahistex Sinus

Available Dosage Forms:

• Capsule
• Tablet
• Tablet, Extended Release
• Capsule, Liquid Filled
• Tablet, Extended Release, 12 HR
• Tablet, Effervescent

Uses for this Medicine

Decongestant and analgesic combinations are taken by mouth to relieve sinus and nasal congestion (stuffy nose) and headache of colds, allergy, and hay fever.

Decongestants, such as phenylephrine, and pseudoephedrine produce a narrowing of blood vessels. This leads to clearing of nasal congestion, but it may also cause an increase in blood pressure in patients who have high blood pressure.

Analgesics, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and salicylates (e.g., aspirin, salicylamide), are used in these combination medicines to help relieve headache and sinus pain.

Acetaminophen and salicylates may cause kidney damage or cancer of the kidney or urinary bladder if large amounts of both medicines are taken together for a long time. However, taking the recommended amounts of combination medicines that contain both acetaminophen and a salicylate for short periods of time has not been shown to cause these unwanted effects.

These medicines are available without a prescription. However, your doctor may have special instructions on the proper dose of these medicines for your medical condition.

Do not give any over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicine to a baby or child under 4 years of age. Using these medicines in very young children might cause serious or possibly life-threatening side effects .

Before using this Medicine

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to medicines in this group or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Very young children are usually more sensitive to the effects of this medicine. Before giving any of these combination medicines to a child, check the package label very carefully. Some of...