Benadryl
Benadryl side effects and drug information Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine, and Benadryl, which is its brand name, is an antihistamine medicine that works to lessen the reaction of the natural
Helen Scholz
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upper respiratory combinations
What is upper respiratory combinations?
Upper respiratory combinations are medications or products that may contain one or more medicines, which are used for the relief of cough, act as decongestants or for the relief of the symptoms of an allergy or hay fever.
The respiratory agent describes a wide variety of medicines that are used for the relief, hay fever treatment, or prevention of respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic bronchitis, or pneumonia.
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Respiratory agents come in various forms, such as oral tablets, injections, oral liquids, or inhalations. Inhalations deliver the required medicine or combination of medicines directly to the lungs. This means that the medicine or combination of medicines may directly act on the tissues of the lungs, minimizing the systemic side effects.
Some products may contain more than one medicine such as inhalers, which combine glucocorticoid with a long-acting bronchodilator.
Various respiratory medications are administered by inhalation, although parenteral, enteral, transdermal, or topical routes of administration may be used for some respiratory agents. Giving medications by the inhaled route has many advantages over the systemic administration: the use of a smaller dose, reduced adverse effects, and that the drug is quickly delivered to the lung tissues or the bloodstream. Also, the administration of inhaled agents is painless, and the delivery method is typically convenient and safe.
Many drugs are given to a person with upper respiratory problems. Many of those drugs are given by inhalation while others are administered by mouth. These are the common drugs to treat upper respiratory problems, which may be given alone or in combination with other drugs:
Bronchodilators
The most frequently used inhaled medications, Bronchodilators are categorized into sympathomimetic drugs and parasympatholytic. They are also classified as long-acting and short-acting.
Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids that are used primarily for the treatment of asthma.
Mast cell stabilizers and anti-IGE antibodies
Nedocromil and cromolyn sodium are used to stabilize mast cells and prevent the release of asthma-related chemical mediators such as histamine, cytokines, and leukotrienes.
Leukotriene receptor antagonists
These medicines are used by asthma patients in blocking the effects of leukotrienes on the inflammatory cascades. Three drugs work in this area: Montelukast, zafirlulast, and sileuton. Montelukast is the only drug that may be used in children.
Antihistamines and epinephrine
Diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine are first-generation antihistamines. Loratadine, cetirizine, and fexofenadine are the second-generation antihistamine drugs. Epinephrine is used for the treatment of anaphylaxis.
Pulmonary Surfactants
Surfactant has been used for the treatment of neonates with immature pulmonary system. Other surfactants include colfosceril and paractant alfa.
Antimicrobials and antivirals
Various inhaled agents fight infection, including the antimicrobials pentamidine and tobramycin and the antivirals ribavirin and zanamivir.
Other agents
Guaifenesin is a popular over-the-counter expectorant although the American College of Chest Physicians claimed that it is not effective in enhancing cough clearance in patients suffering from chronic bronchitis.
In respiratory therapy, very few medications are regarded as drugs of choice. Therapists should be aware of new medications on the market that are intended to treat upper respiratory problems.