Dorothy FarrarDecongestants
Decongestants are drugs that are used in medicine and have various effects. Decongestants come in different forms and types and their side effects should not be underestimated.
What are decongestants?
Decongestants are mainly used to treat allergic diseases . They are medicines that have a decongestant effect. These preparations treat the swelling of the mucous membranes that are affected during an allergic reaction .
The decongestants contain various active ingredients, the only connection of which is the decongestant effect they produce. Chemically, the individual substances have nothing to do with each other and do not have the same mechanism of action.
Decongestants are usually administered in conjunction with a so-called anti-allergic drug. These fight the main cause, namely the allergy. On the other hand, decongestants are only used to reduce the respective swellings.
Medical application
In most cases, decongestants are applied topically, i.e. locally. However, sometimes oral application can also take place. Decongestants are divided into different drug classes according to their mechanism of action.
One of the best-known classes of active ingredients are the sympathomimetics. This class of active ingredients bears its name because the sympathomimetics act directly or indirectly via the sympathetic receptors. The sympathetic nervous system is part of the autonomic nervous system and is primarily responsible for the smooth muscles of the blood vessels and glands. As a result, the sympathetic expands the bronchi, which are primarily affected by an allergic disease, and allows the mucous membranes to decongest. But its tasks also include increasing cardiac activity, blood pressure and metabolism.
Another class of action are the corticosteroids. These, on the other hand, act by suppressing the immune system and also cause the mucous membranes to decongest. At the same time, antiallergic drugs are administered to these decongestants . After prolonged use, these have an anti-inflammatory effect and relieve the symptoms.
Nevertheless, in very severe cases, in which a rapid and rapid decongestion of the mucous membrane is to take place, cromolyn acid is administered with an additional preparation. This preparation is called Reproterol and falls into the sympathomimetic class of activity. Furthermore, essential oils are also used as decongestants, which also decongest the corresponding mucous membrane.
Forms, groups and active ingredients
Decongestants come in many forms. A distinction is made between herbal, natural, homeopathic and pharmaceutical decongestants. Decongestants of the sympathomimetic species are often used as a nasal spray and can therefore have a targeted effect on the mucous membranes. The active ingredients of these decongestants are chemically synthesized. The most important active ingredients of this genus include ephedrine, tramazoline, naphazoline, epinephrine and tetryzoline.
Decongestants of the cordicosteroid class are also mostly synthetically produced. The most important representatives include the active ingredients mometasone, flunisolide, budesonide, beclometasone, dexamethasone and prednisolone. Decongestants of this class of action are often administered orally or used for systemic treatment.
Herbal, natural and pharmaceutical alternatives
The essential oils are called herbal decongestants. Chamomile blossoms are often processed here. But the active ingredient Luffa operculata, which comes from the dry part of a pumpkin fruit, is also produced from plants and has a homeopathic effect.
risks and side effects
The risks and side effects of decongestants should not be forgotten either. Decongestants usually consist of several active ingredients, all of which can cause their own risks and side effects. Even if the side effects are rather rare, you should inform yourself thoroughly about them before taking them.
Each individual active substance contained in a decongestant can lead to an overreaction in the affected patient. In the worst case, this can be an allergic shock and also develop into a life-threatening situation.
The active ingredients of the decongestants, which belong to the class of sympathomimetics, usually cause symptoms that can indicate increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system. This manifests itself primarily in excessive blood pressure in the affected person. But increased cardiac activity is also not uncommon. Furthermore, the people affected usually complain about a dry mouth and constipation .
Cordicosteroid decongestants, on the other hand, can even cause diabetes or osteoporosis . However, this is only the case in extreme cases. The side effects are usually very minor and are not perceived as disturbing by the people affected.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.