Cough syrup for children

Cough syrup for children is a medicine aimed at reducing cough, treating inflammation, eliminating infection. It is also worth noting that the syrup is used in the treatment of many respiratory diseases as an auxiliary.

The syrup has a pronounced smell of raspberries, and also has a sweet taste, a pleasant aroma. Children are happy to take this syrup. The main active substance is salbutamol, which is released in the form of sulfate. 

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5]

Indications Cough syrup

The drug is prescribed for acute and chronic infectious and somatic diseases of the respiratory tract. It is especially effective if the inflammatory process is accompanied by active separation of sputum. It can be used as an aid in relieving asthmatic bronchitis and bronchial asthma attacks. Indications for the purpose are such diseases of the respiratory tract as tracheobronchitis, tracheitis, obstructive bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema, pneumoconiosis.

For more information on syrups used for cough for children, see  this article.

[6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11]

Release form

It is available in 100 and 200 ml vials. It is dispensed without a prescription, nevertheless, preliminary consultation of the doctor is required. 

Also, the active ingredient is bromhexine hydrochloride and guaifenesin. Thanks to the content of menthol, pain is reduced, the throat is frozen, puffiness is eliminated. The composition includes quite a few auxiliary substances, such as sucrose, citric acid, sodium chloride and benzoate, various dyes and flavors. All this, on the one hand, determines the attractiveness of the drug for patients, especially for children. On the other hand, they can cause an allergic reaction. Or, due to these properties, an overdose often occurs.

[12], [13], [14], [15]

Pharmacodynamics

In the study of pharmacodynamic properties, it was found that cough is a combination drug that is used to specifically eliminate symptoms of cough. Moreover, it can be used also as an auxiliary means by means of which various manifestations of pulmonary diseases are eliminated. This is due to the fact that the drug shows a high tropism in relation to bronchopulmonary tissue.

Particularly active is the salbutamol component, which has a bronchodilator effect. It dilutes sputum and promotes its excretion from the body. Accordingly, the inflammatory process decreases rather quickly, the infection is eliminated. It is also worth noting that it is thanks to salbutamol, which is part of the syrup, that recovery comes much faster. Salbutamol also has mucolytic and expectorant effects. Affects the beta-adrenergic receptors of the bronchi.

Bromhexine is used to dilute sputum. It increases the amount of sputum, so that it is quickly excreted from the body. This may irritate the respiratory tract receptors. Accordingly, cough is worse. But this is not considered a side effect, because it is a natural reflex response of the body to irritation of the respiratory tract receptors. It is worth noting that it is due to the fact that cough increases, sputum is more quickly separated from the walls of the respiratory tract and is more easily excreted from the body.

Also, sputum liquefaction occurs due to the fact that the airway walls are depolarized. Sputum undergoes surface tension, irritates the receptors, which respectively, along the ascending innervation routes transmit the impulse to the cough center of the medulla oblongata. He, in turn, processes the received signal, and sends an impulse to the smooth muscles of the airways. Thanks to this, the contractile activity of the muscles of the bronchopulmonary apparatus is greatly increased, and therefore there is an accelerated excretion of sputum, and another secret.

The third mechanism of action of the drug is that the active ingredient, such as guaifenesin, is included in the formulation. It promotes the activation of the enzymatic activity of those enzymes that make up the mucous membranes. They help dilute those sputum deposits, and other mucus that accumulates on the walls of the respiratory tract. There is also activation of the synthesis of surface immunoglobulin, which provides reliable protection of the body from foreign agents.

[16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23]

Contraindications

Thus, all this allows us to conclude that contraindications to the intake of cough are various severe diseases of the heart and vascular system, the pathology of the digestive organs. Also, do not take the drug in the event that a person has diabetes, especially in the stage of decompensation. This is due, in the first place, to the high sugar content of the syrup. It is also not recommended to take the drug against the background of hormonal disorders, in particular, with various pathologies of the thyroid gland. With glaucoma, stomach and intestinal diseases, you also need to pay special attention to possible side effects.

About cases of propensity to allergic reactions, it is necessary to notify the attending physician. The deficiency of sucrose and maltose also acts as a relative contraindication to the administration of the drug. It is highly not recommended to take the drug for renal and hepatic insufficiency, as well as in the presence of severe cardiovascular disorders. Intolerance to fructose and glucose-galactose intolerance also in most cases acts as a contraindication to the use of this drug.

The instructions also have a warning, according to which, it is necessary to take the drug with caution in patients who suffer from various vascular diseases, especially patients with a tendency to hypertension (high blood pressure). With diseases of the stomach and intestine can be taken only against the background of remission, and only after a preliminary consultation with a doctor.

Separately, the instructions indicate that the drug is contraindicated in diseases of the kidneys and liver, as well as with heart failure. For children about 3 years, the drug is highly contraindicated.

[24], [25], [26], [27], [28], [29], [30], [31]

Side effects Cough syrup

We need to ensure that there are no side effects and when they occur, you need to take appropriate action as soon as possible. So. Signs that the drug should be reduced, or completely canceled, is headache, dizziness, increased nervous excitability, sleep disturbance. Also, taking the drug may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting. In more severe cases, a tremor occurs, diarrhea. Often there are cramps, sleep is disturbed. Also it is necessary to consider, that the preparation negatively influences the digestive system. So, in the presence of various inflammatory diseases of the digestive system, there may be an exacerbation, in particular, in the presence of chronic diseases and against a long-term drug intake. A variety of complications can occur until the ulcer exacerbates, the transition of ulcerative gastritis to its chronic form.

It should also be taken into account that if there is a peptic ulcer in the patient, its aggravation is often enough, bleeding develops. Also, concomitant signs of side effects are heart palpitations. Urine can be dyed pink, gain an unpleasant odor. Also, quite often allergic reactions develop, which proceed mainly in a delayed type. It can be various skin diseases, including hives, rash, irritation.

Arterial pressure can react in this way in different ways. In those people who have a tendency to hypotension, blood pressure can drop sharply, down to a drop to a critical level (this is often observed against the background of a tendency to cardiovascular disease, against a background of general muscle atony). With a tendency to hypertension, the pressure often increases. In some cases, arrhythmia can occur.

In severe cases, blood pressure may drop sharply, until the collapse is complete. All this indicates that in the presence of any pathologies, and even functional disorders of the heart and blood vessels, the drug should be used very carefully, and in some cases it is better to exclude at all. In any case, the decision on the expediency of using this drug remains with the doctor.

Dosing and administration

It is not recommended to take the medication alone. 

The drug is prescribed primarily to children over 6 years of age. It is recommended to give children 1 teaspoon three times a day. If the cough is severe, you need to inject an additional drug. Children over 12 years can take 2 teaspoons. The recommended frequency of admission is 3-4 times a day. It is not recommended to take the drug more often, as an overdose may occur.

It is important to observe the correct interval between taking medications. In particular, you should not take the drug more than 6 hours later. It is believed that during this time there is a half-life in the body, the drug is absorbed by the body at a sufficient level. The new dosage will be accumulated in the respiratory tract, and will not cause an overdose. Less than 6-7 hours later, taking the drug is also not recommended, since its effectiveness is significantly reduced.

[32], [33], [34]

Overdose

No cases of overdose are known. But experimentally it was established that an overdose is accompanied by an overdose. A pronounced manifestation of side effects. Treatment is predominantly symptomatic, hospitalization is often required. Serious consequences for the life and health of a patient can have an overdose against a background of heart disease.

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Interactions with other drugs

As special instructions, it is indicated that the drug can not be taken together with antitussive drugs, since its effect, on the contrary, should be aimed at strengthening the cough, so that sputum will be quickly excreted from the body. It should also be taken into account that coughing enhances the penetration of antibiotics into the respiratory tract and increases the degree of their absorption by the body. This property is often used in the treatment of severe inflammatory and infectious diseases of the respiratory tract (bacterial etiology).

Especially effective is cough in combination with antibiotics in the treatment of diseases such as pneumonia, bronchitis, emphysema, tracheobronchitis. It allows you to quickly get rid of the infectious inflammatory process, even with the development of pleurisy. It is also not recommended to take the drug simultaneously with beta-adrenoreceptor blockers, for example, with propanol, since a spasm of respiratory muscles may occur.

[38], [39], [40], [41], [42], [43], [44]