Decongestant

A decongestant, or nasal decongestant, is a type of pharmaceutical drug that is used to relieve nasal congestion in the upper respiratory tract. The active ingredient in most decongestants is either pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine (the latter of which has disputed effectiveness). Intranasal corticosteroids can also be used as decongestants and antihistamines can be used to alleviate runny nose, nasal itch, and sneezing. Topical decongestants on topical application as dilute solution (0.05–0.1%) produce local vasoconstriction. Regular use of decongestants for long periods should be avoided because mucosal ciliary function is impaired: atrophic rhinitis and anosmia (loss of the sense of smell) can occur due to persistent vasoconstriction. Decongestants can be absorbed from the nose via an inhaler and produce systemic effects, mainly central nervous system stimulation and rise in blood pressure. These drugs should be used cautiously in hypertensives and in those receiving monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), as they can cause hypertensive crisis. Expectorants such as guaifenesin are a related type of drug which help to clear mucus. Decongestants are used to treat nasal congestion, for instance in allergies, infections like the common cold, influenza, and sinus infection, and nasal polyps. Besides, decongestants are being used to treat simple conjunctivitis by reducing redness. A 2016 Cochrane review found insufficient evidence to support the use of intranasal corticosteroids in the relief of common cold symptoms; however, the review was based on three trials and the quality of the evidence was regarded as very low. The vast majority of decongestants act via enhancing norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and epinephrine (adrenaline) or adrenergic activity by stimulating the α1-adrenergic receptor since they mediate vasoconstriction and constricting nasal vasculature causes decongestion of nasal mucosa. This induces vasoconstriction of the blood vessels in the nose, throat, and paranasal sinuses, which results in reduced inflammation (swelling) and mucus formation in these areas.

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Related publications (6)

Related concepts (16)

Rhinorrhea

Rhinorrhea, rhinorrhoea, or informally runny nose is the free discharge of a thin mucus fluid from the nose; it is a common condition. It is a common symptom of allergies (hay fever) or certain viral infections, such as the common cold or COVID-19. It can be a side effect of crying, exposure to cold temperatures, cocaine abuse, or drug withdrawal, such as from methadone or other opioids. Treatment for rhinorrhea is not usually undertaken, but there are a number of medical treatments and preventive techniques.

Phenylephrine

Phenylephrine is a medication that is used as a nasal decongestant, used to dilate the pupil, used to increase blood pressure (given intravenously in cases of hypotension, septic shock and anesthesia), used to relieve hemorrhoids and uncomplicated nasal congestion. It is a selective α1-adrenergic receptor agonist with minimal to no beta-adrenergic activity. It causes constriction of both arteries and veins. Phenylephrine can also be taken by mouth, given by injection into a vein or muscle, or applied to the skin.

Nasal congestion

Nasal congestion is the partial or complete blockage of nasal passages, leading to impaired nasal breathing, usually due to membranes lining the nose becoming swollen from inflammation of blood vessels. In about 85% of cases, nasal congestion leads to mouth breathing rather than nasal breathing. According to Jason Turowski, MD of the Cleveland Clinic, "we are designed to breathe through our noses from birth—it's the way humans have evolved." This is referred to as "obligate nasal breathing.

Oxidation of cetirizine, fexofenadine and hydrochlorothiazide during ozonation: Kinetics and formation of transformation products

Urs von Gunten, Juliane Hollender

The efficiency of wastewater ozonation for the abatement of three nitrogen-containing pharmaceuticals, two antihistamine drugs, cetirizine (CTR) and fexofenadine (FXF), and the diuretic drug, hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), was investigated. Species-specific s ...

Elsevier2016

Mechanisms of Propagation of Intercellular Calcium Waves in Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells

Jean-Jacques Meister, Jean-Louis Bény, Michèle Koenigsberger, Dominique Seppey

In rat mesenteric arteries, smooth muscle cells exhibit intercellular calcium waves in response to local phenylephrine stimulation. These waves have a velocity of similar to 20 cells/s and a range of similar to 80 cells. We analyze these waves in a theoret ...

Elsevier2010

Intercellular calcium dynamics in smooth muscle cells

Dominique Seppey

Muscular arteries are able to actively modify their diameter by modulating the tone of the smooth muscle cells located within the arterial wall. A small variation of lumen diameter has a large influence on blood flow as well as on arterial pressure. The ca ...

EPFL2009