Unproductive cough often occurs with infectious and inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory organs.
To eliminate this unpleasant symptom, adult patients are prescribed drugs that dilute the pathological secret. The result of their use is considered to be a decrease in the density of mucus, a moderate anti-inflammatory effect and the prevention of sputum sticking to the walls of the respiratory organs. What drugs liquefy and remove sputum, we will talk below.
Reasons
Cough with pathological secretion may be associated with certain processes, for example:
- Bronchitis (a disease of the respiratory system, in which the bronchi are involved in the inflammatory process).
- Pneumonia (inflammation of the lung tissue, usually of infectious origin, predominantly affecting the alveoli and interstitial tissue of the lung).
- Allergic reactions.
- Tuberculosis (an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and accompanied by the formation of granulomas in various organs).
- Smoking.
- Insufficient air humidity.
How to liquefy mucus in the bronchi
To reduce the viscosity of pathological secretions in adult patients, drugs are often used to thin sputum when coughing. This type of drugs includes strong, effective therapeutic agents. The main task of such drugs is to thin the mucus, resulting in its more active discharge, and improve the general condition of the patient.
Modern medicines that thin mucus are divided into several groups:
- Medicines with central action.
- Medicines with peripheral effects.
- Non-narcotics.
- Drugs.
Mucolytic drugs that thin sputum when coughing do not belong to the drugs that are used in monotherapy. As a rule, they are used in combination with antimicrobial drugs.
Drugs that have a central effect
This type of medication is aimed at thinning bronchial and pulmonary pathological secretions. It is represented by the following means:
- "Sinecode".
- "Mukobene".
- "Acestin".
Sinecode
The drug is prescribed for the treatment of cough, which appears with bronchitis, tracheitis, whooping cough, or due to frequent smoking. The drug effectively eliminates the pathological secret, helps to stabilize breathing and improve spirometric performance. "Sinekod" is produced in the form of syrup, drops and dragees. The main active ingredient of the drug is butamirate citrate.
"Sinekod" is the best medicine that thins sputum in children (from the age of three). The syrup can be prescribed to people with diabetes, since the drug contains sorbitol, which is not prohibited for this category of patients.
Since the use of the drug in a person may cause drowsiness and lethargy, during therapy it is necessary to refrain from driving vehicles and operating complex equipment that requires increased attention from the patient.
Acestin
Mucolytic produced in tablet form. The main active ingredient is acetylcysteine. The drug helps to liquefy viscous and mucopurulent pathological secretions in patients with acute and chronic bronchitis, as well as pneumonia, viral or bacterial tracheitis, sinusitis, bronchial asthma.
Together with the main pharmacological action, this medication provides an anti-inflammatory effect, suppresses free radicals, and helps detoxify harmful components.
With extreme caution, you need to use a medicine that thins sputum in the bronchi in adult patients and children, with the following diseases and conditions:
- Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum inhistory.
- Asthma (a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways involving a variety of cellular elements).
- Obstructive bronchitis (diffuse inflammation of the bronchi of small and medium caliber, occurring with a sharp bronchial spasm and progressive impairment of pulmonary ventilation).
- Liver or kidney failure.
- Histamine intolerance.
- Headache.
- Vasomotor rhinitis (impaired breathing through the nose due to narrowing of the nasal cavity, due to impaired vascular tone in the mucous membrane).
- Itching.
- Esophageal varicose veins.
- Disorders of the adrenal glands.
- Arterial hypertension (persistent increase in pressure).
When using acetylcysteine (active ingredient) for people with bronchial asthma, the release of pathological secretions should be ensured. For infants, the drug is prescribed only according to indications at a dosage of 10 milligrams per kilogram under the strict supervision of a medical specialist. Between the receptions of "Acestine" and antimicrobial agents, it is important to observe an interval of two hours.
Peripheral drugs
A feature of such medicines is the effect only at the local level, which leads to irritation of the walls of the respiratory system. Commonly prescribed medications include:
- "Ambrohexal".
- "Lazolvan".
- "Libeksin".
Which medicines are good at loosening phlegm?
Ambrohexal
The composition of the drug includes Ambroxol (active ingredient), which dilutes the pathological secret in the respiratory organs and improves its release. The drug is available in tablet form, it is well tolerated, in addition, it is prescribed even at an early age.
The main indication for its use is the defeat of the upper and lower respiratory tract, which occurs with inflammatory processes and the release of viscous mucus.
Before starting therapy, it is important to study the annotation. It is necessary to take into account a number of special instructions for subsequent use:
- Use medication for children under two years of age, women during pregnancy can only be allowed by the doctor.
- Pills can be taken only after meals: this will reduce their harmful effects on the mucous membrane of the stomach and duodenum.
- During drug therapy, you need to drink more fluids, which will facilitate the dilution of the pathological secretion.
- The duration of treatment with this medication is usually four to five days, with prolonged dry cough and stagnation of mucus in the bronchi, the doctor may extend the course of therapy.
- Pills go well with other medicines. In particular, this drug increases the content of antimicrobial components in sputum, which helps to speed up the elimination of a bacterial infection.
- It is not recommended to take Ambrohexal at the same time with antitussive drugs that suppress cough, becausethis can lead to the accumulation of pathological secretions in the bronchial tree and lungs.
- With extreme caution, the medication can be used with concomitant pathological processes in the liver or kidneys, while it is imperative to regularly monitor their functioning.
- Pills do not affect the patient's attention and the speed of his psychomotor reactions.
Lazolvan
The drug is prescribed for adult patients and children from the first months of life, has several forms of release:
- syrup;
- pills;
- solution for inhalation and oral use;
- lozenges.
"Lazolvan" is one of the best medicines that thin sputum with a dry cough. The drug contains ambroxol, with which it stimulates the discharge of sputum in the bronchi, and also improves its outflow and relieves coughing. The solution contains benzalkonium chloride, a component that, if inhaled during inhalation, can lead to bronchospasm in hypersensitive people.
In case of kidney damage with a pronounced dysfunction of the organ, therapy with the Lazolvan solution is possible only after consulting a doctor.
In the recommended pharmacological concentrations, the drug does not adversely affect the functioning of the central nervous system and does not slow down the speed of psychomotor reactions.
The drug is categorically contraindicated in combination with antitussive treatmentdrugs that directly affect the cough center in the medulla oblongata.
Under the influence of "Ambroxol" the pharmacological action of antimicrobials is enhanced, as a result of which it may be necessary to reduce their dosage and duration of therapy.
Non-narcotic medicines
The following centrally acting medications help thin mucus:
- "Glauvent".
- "Sedotussin".
- "Tusuprex".
Glauvent
The drug is available in tablet form. The active ingredient is glaucine hydrobromide. The drug is highly effective in dry cough, which is associated with infectious and inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory organs, as well as bronchial asthma, pleurisy, tuberculosis and lung cancer.
Use "Glauvent" is prohibited with increased sputum production, as well as hypertension, after a recent myocardial infarction. It is not recommended to use the medication for a productive cough with the formation of a pathological secret, since as a result of the retention of bronchial mucus, there is a possibility of bronchial obstruction. People with labile blood pressure should use the medicine with extreme caution due to the possible occurrence of collapse, which is due to the sympatholytic effect of Glauvent.
E110 and E124 dyes included in the structure of the drug can cause allergies. One of the supportingThe substances of the drug are wheat starch, which may contain gluten, but only in small quantities. As a result, for patients with celiac disease, the use of the drug is harmless.
Since drowsiness is likely to occur, as well as dizziness, fatigue and weakness, people who drive a car and other complex machinery need to take extra care.
Tusuprex
A drug to eliminate pathological secretions in adult patients is produced in tablet form. Tusuprex contains oxeladine citrate. This component effectively eliminates a dry type of cough that occurs with a complicated discharge of a pathological secret.
Pills for mucus are prescribed if the patient has:
- Asthma.
- Bronchoconstriction.
- Bronchiectasis.
Tusuprex does not tend to provoke pronounced adverse reactions. In addition, the drug does not have a large list of contraindications and can be used during pregnancy.
Direct acting drugs
Drugs from this group have an effect, as a rule, on the central nervous system, reduce the viscosity of sputum and facilitate coughing. Among the most popular are:
- "Codelac".
- "Caffetin".
Caffetin
The drug is being producedin the form of tablets and syrup. The active components of the mucolytic drug are: propyphenazone, caffeine, as well as paracetamol and codeine phosphate. The complex composition of the product provides a better discharge of pathological secretions, neutralization of heat and drowsiness, and increased efficiency.
Due to the ability to increase blood pressure, this drug is not recommended for hypertensive patients. In addition, the drug is prohibited while carrying and applying the baby to the breast, with leukopenia, hematopoietic disorders, as well as increased excitability, renal or hepatic pathologies.
Prolonged use of the drug must be carried out under constant monitoring of the functioning of the state of the liver and peripheral blood. During therapy, it is not recommended to take alcohol, as it can provoke gastric and intestinal bleeding.
During treatment, drinking drinks that contain caffeine can cause nausea, heart palpitations, ringing in the ears, and other signs of drug poisoning. The effect of the drug can distort the results of doping control in athletes, cause difficulty in determining the diagnosis in patients with acute abdominal pain. The likelihood of a hypersensitivity reaction is most susceptible to people with hay fever or bronchial asthma.
During the use of the drug, it is necessary to refrain from driving, as well as mechanisms and engaging in other activities that require high speedpsychomotor reactions and increased attention.
Conclusion
Most of the medicines of these groups can provoke an overdose. Therefore, if the patient has any side effects, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor for another treatment.
With the right choice of the drug, a person will not experience negative reactions that can interfere with driving a car or complex mechanisms.
Although some mucolytics are alcohol-based, they should still not be combined with alcohol, as toxic effects on the liver and kidneys increase.
It must also be remembered that narcotic drugs that contribute to the discharge of pathological secretions are prescribed by a medical specialist and dispensed from pharmacies with a doctor's prescription. Self-treatment with these drugs is not safe, as it can cause addiction and negative side effects.
