It’s hard to get through the winter without them: Actifed Rhume®, Actifed Lp Rhinite Allergique®, Humex Rhume®, Dolirhume®, Nurofen Rhume®, Rhinadvil Rhume®, Rhinadvilcaps Rhume® … are drugs used to decongest the nose, very useful when suffering from a cold.
They act by causing a narrowing of the diameter of the small blood vessels located in the nose (phenomenon of vasoconstriction): result, the nasal mucosa is less swollen and the nose is less blocked. Vasoconstrictor drugs often contain paracetamol and/or ibuprofen.
Side effects (sometimes serious) that can occur at any dose
Yes, but here it is: these drugs (some of which are over-the-counter) are not trivial since they can promote the occurrence of sometimes serious complications – stroke, heart problems (myocardial infarction, for example), high blood pressure , convulsions, psychiatric disorders (insomnia, for example), skin reactions, vision problems, inflammation of the colon…
Contrary to what one might think, as stated by the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM), “these side effects can occur regardless of the dose and duration of treatment“.
Thus, in 2011, 15 serious cases of cardiovascular or neurological adverse effects were recorded in people who took a vasoconstrictor drug against the common cold; in 25% of cases, the manual had been poorly followed… Hence the need to refer scrupulously to the precautions for use!
As a reminder, nasopharyngitis (it is quite simply the common cold) heals spontaneously in 7 to 10 days without treatment. In short: no medication is necessary.
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