Cough and cold season is arriving: Choose medicines safely

With the summer winding down and fall moving in, colder weather will arrive soon — along with cold and flu season. Millions of Americans get the common cold each year, often more than once. To counter coughs and runny noses, many will turn to over-the-counter (OTC) medications available for relief without a prescription. Heading to the pharmacy for some relief? Read this first While OTC medicines do not cure or shorten the common cold or flu, they can ease some symptoms. Finding a product that fits your needs, however, may not be so straightforward. A recent study evaluated brand-name OTC medications marketed as cold, allergy, sinus, and nasal remedies. It found that 14 common brand names, such as Mucinex, Tylenol, Robitussin, Benadryl, and Theraflu, accounted for 211 unique products, yet all of these products contained only eight active ingredients, alone or in combination. Half of those ingredients turned up in more than 100 different products, very often combined with up to three other active ingredients. In total, 688 combination products were found. Many appear under the same brand name, and all aim to remedy colds, allergies, or sinus and nasal ailments. No wonder a trip to a pharmacy aisle can be confusing (and the study did not even include store-branded and generic products). How to safely choose cough and cold medicines So, how to choose from a myriad of similar products? First, understand that many products contain more active ingredients than you need. And yes, ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Cold and Flu Drugs and Supplements Health Infectious diseases Source Type: blogs