Dry cough tablets for adults: a list of inexpensive and effective drugs. Centrally acting antitussives Combined antitussives

Dry cough is called by many the most difficult in terms of discomfort. He is different total absence sputum and severe irritation of the mucosa in the process of coughing. In addition to constant breathing difficulties, such a cough causes chest pains, throbbing headaches, a sore throat, and much more. That is why doctors advise using antitussive drugs for dry cough. Unlike other drugs, they contribute to the inhibition of the reflex responsible for coughing.

Often a dry cough causes more problems for the patient than a wet one.

In pharmacies you can find a lot of medicines with this effect. It is not so easy to select them, because they differ not only in the composition and origin of the components, but also in the effect they have on the body. Some are recommended for severe paroxysmal coughs, while others help to gently eliminate the cough that occurs under certain conditions.

How antitussives work

All antitussives are designed to treat conditions in which, during attempts to cough up sputum, sputum is not secreted, or is secreted, but in very small quantities. In the latter case, the symptoms are due to excessive density and viscosity of sputum. Dry cough, which worries patients for a long time, does not allow them to sleep normally and lead a normal life, occurs with the following diseases:

lung infections (flu, whooping cough and others);

Dry cough can occur with inflammation of the lungs or bronchi

inflammation of various etiologies in the lungs and bronchi;
pleural pathology;
systemic and allergic diseases (asthma);
tumor processes in the lungs.

It is often possible to eliminate the main symptoms of these pathologies by temporarily “turning off” the receptors that provoke coughing as such. You can do this in two ways:

By suppressing the cough center in the medulla oblongata due to the effect on opiate receptors. Most often, it is resorted to in case of a painful cough with a complete absence of sputum in the bronchi.

The use of antitussive drugs can reduce the sensitivity of receptors that cause a sharp cough

By suppressing the cough reflex directly in the respiratory organs, where specific receptors are also located. This method is used mainly in the absence of thick sputum.

In the presence of thick sputum, antitussives are used only as a last resort to temporarily improve the patient's condition. Usually they are recommended to drink at night, so that the rest is better. They work within 4-6 hours.

It is strictly contraindicated to use such drugs with a dry cough in conjunction with sputum thinners. This can negatively affect the treatment, increasing its duration.

Do not use antitussive drugs uncontrollably, especially together with mucolytics and other sputum-thinning drugs

Classification of drugs against dry cough

According to the method of action on individual receptors, a classification of antitussive drugs has been formed. The first group includes drugs of central action, and the second - peripheral. Such, despite some difference in the area of impact, lead to one result - the cessation of coughing. It is recommended to take them in different cases, as they have different strengths and can have serious contraindications and side effects.

Centrally acting drugs

According to doctors, centrally acting drugs are more effective in eliminating the cough itself. They are prescribed for severe paroxysmal cough in adults and children. The classification divides them into two broad groups: narcotic and non-narcotic. They act on the cough center in the medulla oblongata, but through different receptors.

Dry cough often causes pain in the lungs, so it requires specific treatment.

You can learn about the features of such drugs from the table:

The dosage of centrally acting drugs for coughing for a child and an adult is calculated individually. You need to take them in strict accordance with the scheme proposed by the doctor - this will help to avoid undesirable effects, which such drugs have a lot of.

Any medicine of central action is prescribed by a doctor. In pharmacies, they can only be purchased with a prescription, as they are considered potentially hazardous to human health.

The dosage of medicines should always be prescribed only by a doctor.

Peripherally acting drugs

Peripherally acting cough medicines act directly on receptors in respiratory tract. Most of them have a local anesthetic and bronchodilator effect. Unlike agents with the ability to influence the center of respiration, they are less effective. Therefore, their main purpose is to eliminate systematic unproductive coughing or straining dry cough.

The main components of such drugs are:

prenoxdiazine - a substance with a local anesthetic and bronchodilator effect;
levodropropizine - a compound that reduces the sensitivity of receptors in the respiratory tract;

Prenoxdiazine - effective remedy often prescribed for dry cough

tipepidine - a substance that reduces the sensitivity of receptors in the respiratory tract and partially in the respiratory center of the brain.

In a separate group, agents that affect the so-called cold receptors are allocated. For the most part, these are combined drugs with antihistamine, mucokinetic, antispasmodic, antibacterial and bronchodilator effects, which include:

triprolidine;
terpinhydrates;
levomenthol;

Glycodin is effective for dry cough, it contains terpinhydrate and levomenthol

biclotymol.

What drugs with peripheral action it is better to take in a separate case, the doctor decides. Most often, children and adults are prescribed Libeksin, Levopront or Helicidin. This takes into account exactly how the disease proceeds, the nature and frequency of coughing, the conditions under which it occurs. The dosage is also determined by the doctor.

The choice of means can be influenced by dosage form. So, children are more often prescribed drugs in the form of a syrup or mixture, while it is more convenient for adults to use prolonged-release tablets.

Preschool and toddler children school age antitussive drugs are given more often in the form of syrups

Regardless of the method of exposure to the body, any drug with an antitussive effect is contraindicated in case of hyperproductivity of the bronchial secretion, with pulmonary bleeding, including increased risk their occurrence.

Contraindications to the use of antitussives

Antitussives, despite their benefits in certain diseases, have a lot of contraindications. That is why experts do not recommend using them without consulting a doctor, even if they are available without a prescription.

The most significant contraindications that apply to all categories of drugs with the ability to inhibit the cough reflex are:

age - such drugs are strictly contraindicated for children under the age of 2 years;
pregnancy, especially the first and last trimester, when vital organs and systems are formed in the fetus;
lactation period, since the components of the drugs can penetrate into the milk and then enter the baby's body;
severe obstructive pulmonary disease, accompanied by bleeding, as well as asthma;
respiratory failure, in which the volume of breathing is reduced due to various reasons.

Do not use cough medicines for allergies without consulting a doctor

You should not use antitussive drugs and with allergies (intolerance or hypersensitivity) to individual components of the funds, including additional ones. In this regard, combined agents are considered more dangerous, since they contain an order of magnitude more components, each of which can provoke problems.

Before prescribing a medicine, an adult patient or a parent of a baby suffering from a cough should inform the doctor about all the underlying diseases, as well as about the drugs that are planned to be taken in conjunction with antitussives.

With the right approach to the choice of the drug, the accuracy of compliance with the therapeutic regimen depends on the effectiveness of the treatment. In this regard, a lot depends on the patient, his responsibility and ability to follow the recommendations given by the doctor.

How to properly treat a dry cough, you will learn from the following video:

When this painful symptom appears, you first need to worry about finding its cause, and only then - effective drugs. When a strong dry cough is not properly treated, sputum does not come out, accumulating in the lungs. In stagnant secretion, infection multiplies, and there is a risk of developing bronchitis or pneumonia.

Classification and mechanism of action of antitussive drugs

There is no universal pill for any cough. Treatment depends on the nature of this debilitating symptom. There are 2 types of cough: wet, productive, and dry, unproductive. How are these varieties fundamentally different? In the first case, sputum leaves, but not in the second, so it is important to turn a dry cough into a wet one as soon as possible.

Drugs that suppress the cough reflex differ in the mechanisms of action on the body. It is customary to subdivide them into the following groups and subgroups:

antitussive drugs of central action - narcotic and non-narcotic;
drugs of peripheral action;
combined antitussive drugs;
mucolytics and expectorants.

central action

Such drugs are designed to suppress attacks of only painful dry cough when the patient does not have sputum. They are divided into narcotic and non-narcotic:

Narcotic:

Codeine (Terpinkod, Codelac, dry cough syrup Codelac Neo, Caffetin, Codipront, etc.);
Demorphan (stronger than Codeine);
Vicodin (Hydrocodone);
Skenan (Morphine).

Non-narcotic:

Glauvent (Glaucin);
Tusuprex (Oxeladin, Paxeladin);
Sedotussin (Pentoxyverine);
Sinekod (Butamirat).

Peripheral action

The therapeutic mechanism of antitussive drugs for dry cough of this group is to act on the nerve receptors of the trachea and bronchi:

Libexin (Prenoxdiazine);
Levopront (Levodropropizine);
Helicidin.

Combined antitussives

Multicomponent preparations are in great demand, which not only block the cough reflex, but at the same time thin the sputum, accelerate its discharge. Often, the composition of combined medicines used for dry cough includes ingredients with antipyretic, antihistamine, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. These are the medicines:

Broncholitin (Glaucin with Ephedrine and Basil Oil);
Stoptussin (Butamirate plus Guaifenesin);
Tussin Plus (Guaifenesin and Dextromethorphan);
Hexapneumine (Biclotymol in combination with Polcodin, Chlorphenamine and Guaifenesin);
Prothiazine Expectorant (Promethazine with Guaifenesin and Ipecac Extract);
Lorraine (Phenylephrine plus Chlorphenamine and Paracetamol).

These antitussive drugs for dry cough are highly effective. However, the more ingredients in the medicine, the more extensive the list of contraindications, restrictions and side effects. The selection of exact dosages of such medicines is much more complicated. It is more difficult to determine their compatibility with other drugs taken. For these reasons, it is better not to give combined remedies to children.

Varieties of mucolytic and expectorant drugs for dry cough

What is the difference between these medicines? Expectorants with a dry cough activate the production and excretion of bronchial sputum. They are prescribed when either too little or too much is produced, but the consistency of the secret is too thick to come out. It is impossible to take such drugs along with medicines that block the cough reflex because of the risk of developing pneumonia.

Thermopsis, Terpinhydrate, Lycorine;
extracts, infusions of medicinal herbs: marshmallow, licorice, elecampane, istoda;
guaifenesin, ammonium chloride, sodium citrate;
baking soda, sodium and potassium iodide, ammonium chloride.

You can use anti-inflammatory drugs that have an expectorant effect or relax the muscles of the bronchi:

Ascoril Expectorant;
Gedelix;
GeloMyrtol;
Glycyram;
Prospan;
Sinupret;
Supreme broncho;
Evkabal, Evkabal Balm S.

Mucolytics do not increase the amount of sputum, but thin the thick consistency of the secret, then it is easier to remove from the respiratory tract. The need for them appears as soon as a dry cough becomes wet. Effective drugs:

Mukaltin;
Lazolvan (Ambroxol);
ACC (Acetylcysteine);
Bromhexine;
Fluimucil;
Fluditec;
Pertussin.

How to treat dry cough in adults

Dry cough tablets containing Codeine, such as Codelac, are very effective. True, such drugs are issued only according to strict prescriptions, but the main thing is that they can cause drug addiction. Antitussive drugs for dry cough Libeksin, Glaucin, Paxeladin, Tusuprex are not as effective, but much safer. Combined medicines are popular, especially Bronholitin, Stoptussin. However, they should be stopped immediately as soon as the cough becomes wet.

How to treat dry cough in children

Babies are especially hard on him. Frequent, prolonged attacks, worse at night, can torture any child. Sick children lose sleep, refuse to eat. As a rule, a common cold is to blame, viral infection. The temperature rises, the throat begins to hurt, the nose flows, and these symptoms are completed by a dry cough. To get rid of it, there are effective, safe and inexpensive drugs.

However, the famous doctor E.O. Komarovsky warns: antitussive drugs should be resorted to in extreme cases. First you need to help the child's body, so that he himself began to actively fight the disease. To do this, the pediatrician recommends:

wash your child's nose with saline more often;
give warm alkaline water to drink mineral water without gas, and even better - milk with honey (if they are tolerated);
make warm one and a half hour compresses of mashed potatoes with the addition of mustard and vodka on the back;
brew breast fees of medicinal herbs.

If after 5-6 days the cough that irritates the throat does not go away, you can choose one of the safer drugs for children:

Mukaltin;
Lazolvan;
Bromhexine.

What can pregnant women from cough

During the period of bearing a child, it is worth trying Holls, Strepsils, Karmolis medicinal lollipops, but they do not help everyone. With a dry cough during the first trimester of pregnancy, mainly herbal preparations are used:

Althea root syrup;
Eucabal;
Mukaltin.

In the second and third trimesters, in addition to these antitussive drugs, the following medicines are recommended for dry cough:

Bronchiprest, Stodal (there is a risk of allergic reactions);
Bronchicum, Gedelix (the effect on the fetus has not been thoroughly studied);
Coldrex Knight (only at temperatures above 38 degrees);
Bromhexine, Libeksin, Stoptussin (provided that there is an urgent need).

Antitussive drugs in children's practice Dry, hacking cough accompanies almost everyone and characterizes First stage interactions of the microorganism with the epithelium of the upper respiratory tract. Once infectious process will gain strength, that is, the infectious agent will overcome the mucous barrier and get to the secreting glands, sputum appears, marking the qualitative transition of a dry cough to a wet one.

Depending on which microorganism caused the damage to the respiratory tract, sputum may be mucous or purulent. An excruciating cough, up to respiratory arrest, causes a pathogen that creates an epicenter of irritation in the brain stem.

Based on the mechanism of coughing, the antitussives used should either block cough receptors (on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract or those in the medulla oblongata), or promote the discharge of secreted sputum.

It should be recalled that antitussives are only symptomatic therapy, which, ideally, should be supported by drugs designed to destroy the pathogen. So, all antitussives medicines are divided into two main groups:

In the first group, almost all drugs belong to drugs with a central mechanism of action, with the exception of libexin. Their action is based on the blockade of nerve impulses of the cough center. Ten years ago, microdoses of codeine were widely used for this purpose, added to prefabricated mixtures such as codelac and complex tablet preparations - codeine.

Medications used to suppress cough

Along with dose-dependent suppression of the cough center, such drugs thinned sputum and contributed to its excretion. But due to the growing percentage of the drug-addicted population, who bought everything pharmaceutical preparations containing opium alkaloids (in this case, codeine), a decree was issued banning the free sale of codeine-containing drugs from pharmacies. To replace it, a new line of drugs was developed, with the same mechanism of action, but not related to narcotic substances:

1. "Tusuprex". On the market pharmaceutical products competed for effectiveness in parallel with codeine-containing drugs, but did not take the lead due to cost. Available only in tablets. Reception is allowed from two years, at a dosage of 5 mg 3 times a day.

2. A fairly old drug - "glaucine", also with a central mechanism of action. But in addition to suppressing the cough center, it causes a peripheral block of vascular receptors, which may be accompanied by a sharp drop in blood pressure in the vessels. Children are prescribed in the form of syrup, at a dosage of 10 mg 2-3 times a day. Recommended for use over 2 years of age.

3. A relatively new drug, also with a central mechanism of action, has become “sinekod”. The release of the drug in drops and syrup allows the use of the drug in babies from the age of two months. Up to a year, the remedy is prescribed 10 drops up to 4 times a day, from a year to three years the dosage reaches 15 drops per dose, and from three years a syrup is allowed for use, used up to the age of six, 5 ml 3 times a day.

Recently, for the sales market with "sinecode" began to compete with his cheap analogue, containing the same active principle (butamirate) - "omnitus", produced by pharmaceutical companies in Serbia and Russia. It can be found in tablet form and as a syrup. The form of the drug is prescribed depending on the age of the child. Syrup is allowed when the child reaches three years, and tablets - six years.

4. "Libeksin". A fairly old drug with a peripheral mechanism of action, that is, the action of "libexin" resembles the effect of local anesthetics, it blocks the receptor field of the respiratory mucosa. The instructions for taking the drug in children do not indicate the age and do not indicate the exact dosages, only a general formulation that allows the drug to be taken in the form of ¼ or ½ of the minimum adult dosage, without further instructions.

Here, in fact, is the whole range of medicines used for dry cough. Unfortunately, in whooping cough and parapertussis, none of the described drugs is able to give a pronounced therapeutic effect, which codeine-containing drugs had.

When the cough becomes productive, that is, the formation a large number sputum, there is no point in suppressing it. In this case, it is important to promote sputum discharge by all means. For these purposes, a group of expectorants is used, conditionally divided into two subgroups, based on the nature of the active principle of the drugs.

Medications that improve sputum discharge

I group, which is based on synthesized chemicals. It includes:

1. "Bromhexine" - the pioneer of this group of drugs, which is essentially a chemical analogue of the plant alkaloid vasicin. In the body, "bromhexine is converted into the active substance - ambroxol.

Bromhexine is available in both liquid and solid form. The drug in tablets is given to children from three years old at a dosage of 4 mg three times a day. After 6 years, the dosage of "Bromhexine" reaches 8 mg three times a day. In the form of Bromhexine syrup, it is prescribed to children under two years old, 2 ml of syrup three times a day, up to six years old - 4 ml each and over six years old - 8 ml syrup each.

Directly "ambroxol" itself and its analogues - "lazolvan", "ambrobene", "ambrohexal", "bronchorus". Preparations are produced in several forms: in tablets, syrups, and inhalation solutions.

Most commonly used for inhalation water solution"Ambroxol". Up to two years, 7.5 mg of the drug is used once, from the age of two - 15 mg 1-2 times a day.

In the form of syrup "Ambroxol" is taken orally in children under two years old in the amount of 7.5 mg twice a day, up to five years old - 7.5 mg three times a day, over 5 years old "Ambroxol" is prescribed 15 mg three times a day . Tablets are allowed to be taken from 6 years old, 15 mg 2-3 times a day.

Three directions were found in the mechanism of action of this subgroup of drugs:

Of the side effects, in addition to allergic phenomena, dyspepsia is possible.

2. "Acetylcysteine" is good to use in the presence of very thick, difficult to separate sputum, as it has a pronounced mucolytic effect. Able to suppress the production of non-specific protective factors of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. It has antioxidant protection, as it carries sulfur ions, which restore the activity of an intracellular enzyme that inactivates toxic oxygen species. The analogue of "acetylcysteine" is "fluimucil".

"Acetylcysteine" (analogue - "ACC") is available in the form of a soluble dosed powder, syrup. All forms are approved for use from the age of two, 100 mg each active substance 2 to 4 times a day.

In addition to the above options, there is inhalation form acetylcysteine, released as part of an antibiotic of the levomycetin group - "fluimucil + IT antibiotic".

It is important to know that for the effectiveness of the use of this drug, it is better to use a compressor nebulizer to prevent the destruction of the antibacterial agent. In children, in the form of inhalations, the drug is used from the age of two with a fixed dosage of 125 mg 1-3 times a day.

3. "Carbocysteine". Analogues - "fluditec", "fluifort". Used for difficult to separate sputum. Unlike acetylcysteine, it does not suppress the protective properties of the respiratory mucosa. As bonus properties, "carbocysteine" normalizes the activity of the mucous glands, restores the secretion of immunoglobulin A and the activity of the ciliated epithelium of the respiratory tract.

An interesting property of "fluifort" is its prolonged action, which lasts up to 8 days after a single dose.

In children, "carbocysteine" can be used in the form of a syrup. From one month to two years, the amount of the drug is calculated from the ratio of 5 mg / kg of the child's weight 3 times a day, up to five years - 2.5-5 ml of syrup 4 times a day, over five years - 10 ml three times a day.

"Fluifort" in children under one year is not used. Children under five years of age are prescribed in the amount of 2.5 ml of the drug, after five years - 5 ml of syrup twice a day.

Herbal extracts used for wet cough

II group of medicines, using all kinds of plant extracts as the active substance.

First on this list is thyme extract with proven anti-inflammatory and expectorant effects.

Thyme alcoholic extract contains Pertussin syrup, which has been known since Soviet times. In addition to thyme, the syrup is enriched with the presence of potassium bromide, which, due to bromine, has a general calming effect, thus reducing the excitability of the cough center. It is prescribed from three years in a dosage of 2.5 ml, after five years - 5 ml three times at regular intervals.

Syrup and tablets "codelac broncho" in ancient times contained codeine in their composition. To date, their composition has changed. Instead of codeine, thyme extract was introduced into the composition of the syrup, in connection with which the syrup began to be called “codelac broncho with thyme” (there is a syrup without thyme). In addition to thyme, the syrup contains ambroxol and the synthesized active substance of licorice root - glycyrrhizinate, which, through its effect on the adrenal glands, suppresses inflammation. Used from the age of two.

Cheap and quite effective for wet cough tablets "mukaltin" contain soda, marshmallow herb extract. In the instructions for the drug, in contraindications, there is no child age, but there is also no exact dosage and its dependence on the age or weight of the child. In such cases, they usually resort to dividing the tablet into half or a quarter, depending on the age of the child, and drink it three times a day.

Syrup "bronchicum" contains an alcohol extract of thyme herb. Approved for use in children from 6 months.

Elixir "bronchicum", in addition to thyme extract, contains an extract of primrose roots.

Multicomponent preparation with complex action

Of all the other drugs with a complex action, one can note "ascoril", which is available both in tablets and in syrup. In its composition, "ascoril" contains:

Due to the composition, the drug has mucolytic, mucomotor, bronchodilatory and weak antitussive effects. It is better to use it in case of severe lung pathology, for example, with obstructive, bronchiolitis or bronchial asthma. Children are prescribed in the form of syrup, from the age of three, 5 ml, 2-3 times a day.

Mustard plasters as a means of increasing blood flow

To enhance the effect of antitussive drugs, at home, they often use the imposition of mustard plasters. Considering that the mechanism of their action refers to a locally irritating effect, it is necessary to remember a few rules for their use in young children:

Subject to all precautions, mustard plasters can also be used in babies who have not reached the age of one.

Conclusion

In addition to these drugs, today's pharmaceutical market is replete with other complex means, consisting of all sorts of combinations of plants with each other, often with the addition of synthesized medicines. What is important to remember when choosing a cough medicine:

medicinal product

childhood

Cough is a protective reflex. This is a kind of forced exhalation, accompanied by a sound. In the process of coughing, the respiratory tract is cleared of dust, mucus and irritating particles.

The likelihood of catching a disease accompanied by perspiration increases for children aged 2-5 years. During this period, children are more in contact with the outside world, exchanging bacteria and viruses. Treatment of children's cough should be prescribed only by a doctor after examination. It is quite difficult to choose the right drugs on your own.

All cough medicines are divided into two types:

expectorants;
antitussives.

The latter are grouped according to the principle of operation into three types: central, peripheral and combined action.

Non-narcotic drugs of central action

Medications that have non-narcotic central action work selectively. They suppress the cough reflex, but do not have a detrimental effect on the respiratory center.

Medicines often complement other properties: anti-inflammatory, bronchodilator and expectorant. Active components of drugs of non-narcotic central action: glaucine, butamirate, ledin, pentoxyverine.

Narcotic central action

Narcotic drugs of central action increase the cough threshold. At the same time, they affect the respiratory center, suppressing it.

Such funds are rarely prescribed for children, because they have a lot of side effects.. active substances drugs are: codeine, dextrometrophane, ethylmorphine.

Peripheral drugs

The peripheral action of drugs is directed to the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. Medicines have an anesthetic effect, thereby suppressing irritation and relieving a coughing fit.

The advantage of such drugs is that they eliminate spasm, relax muscles and have anti-inflammatory activity.. The active components of the drugs are: levodropropizine, prenoxdiazine, bithiodine, benpropyrine.

Combined drugs

Combined drugs, along with an antitussive effect, have an enveloping, local anesthetic, softening effect. Medicines contain several active components that complement each other.

Indications for use

Antitussive drugs for children are prescribed taking into account the age of the child, clinical picture diseases and based on the results of laboratory diagnostics.

The main indication for the use of these drugs is dry cough.. It can occur due to irritation of the larynx with viral or bacterial infections(tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis). Such medicines are also used for dry cough of another origin: allergic or psychosomatic.

Antitussive medicines show high efficiency in whooping cough.
They are used after surgical or diagnostic interventions.
Prescribed drugs for children after bronchoscopy.
May be recommended for complex treatment pneumonia, bronchitis, trauma chest.

The pharmacological market offers consumers a variety of products. They are available in the form of suspensions, drops, tablets, inhalants. For young children, it is advisable to recommend liquid substances.

Older children can be given tablets or capsules for convenience. When choosing a medicine, you need to carefully read the instructions for use. The annotation indicates age restrictions, additional contraindications and volumes for use.

Children up to a year

Antitussives for young children and infants are recommended for cautious use. In some cases, even the doctor finds it difficult to understand what kind of cough the baby has.

feature respiratory system children of the first 6 months of life is that they have a weak cough reflex, which leads to accumulation of sputum in the bronchi and difficulty breathing.

Sinekod in the form of drops is used in children from 2 months. Up to a year, the medicine is prescribed in a dosage of 10 drops with a break of 6 hours. The medication can cause nausea and vomiting in a child.
Panatus syrup is used after 6 months. Children are prescribed a dosage of 2.5 ml in 4 divided doses. The medication should only be used as directed by a doctor.
Stoptussin drops are prescribed for children of the first year of life. Prohibited for use for infants whose weight does not reach 7 kg. The medicine is given 4 times a day for 8-9 drops. It is important to pay attention to the manufacturer when buying this medicine. The Czech remedy is not suitable for children of the first year of life.

Frequent side effect treatment of young children becomes an allergic reaction. If parents notice unusual warning signs, then the medication should be discontinued and medical attention should be sought.

How to recognize an allergic cough in a child and how it differs from any other -.

1 to 4 years

Antitussive drugs for children with a dry cough can be used the same as in younger age. It is only necessary to increase the dosage, in accordance with the age of the small patient. Also, after a year, additional compositions may be assigned. After 3 years, the list of permitted medicines is expanding further.

Sinekod drops are used from a year for 15 pieces up to 4 times a day. The syrup is approved for use from 3 years old and is given three times a day, 5 ml.
Codelac Neo in the form of a syrup is prescribed for children after 3 years. A single dosage is 5 ml. The daily volume should not exceed 15 ml.
Panatus syrup has been used since the year in a volume of 5 ml three times a day. It is better to give medicine to a child before meals.
Broncholitin syrup is prescribed for children from 3 years in a single dose of 5 ml. It is important to consider that this medicine contains ethanol. In addition to antitussive action, it has an expectorant effect.
Glycodin syrup is an old and proven tool. It is used up to 3 years only as prescribed by the doctor.

The use of large doses of the drug, exceeding the recommended instructions, can cause nausea and vomiting. If you feel worse or there is no effect, you should consult a doctor to clarify the diagnosis.

What is possible after 5 years?

Many drugs have an age limit of up to 6 years. Antitussives for children with dry cough, described earlier, can be used even at 5 years old. To correctly determine the single and daily dose, you must carefully read the instructions.

Doctors allow children from 5 years to give drops, syrups or tablets.

Sinekod syrup is prescribed in 10 ml three times a day. Drops are used 25 pieces three times.
Codelac NEO is prescribed for children from 6 years of age, 10 ml in the morning, evening and afternoon. After 12 years, it is necessary to increase the single dose to 15 ml.
Panatus tablets are suitable for children from 6 years of age. Reception is carried out in the morning and in the evening, one capsule.
Alex Plus in lozenges is prescribed 1 dose up to 4 times a day. For children from 7 years old, a single dose can be increased to 2 lozenges.
Libexin tablets can only be used as prescribed by a doctor. A single dose varies from a quarter to a half of a pill, depending on the child's body weight.
Sedotussin is used for children from 4 years of age, 15 mg of the active substance. The medicine is available in the form of syrup and rectal suppositories.
Codeine-based codeine is used for children in an individual dosage prescribed by a doctor. You can buy this medication only with a special prescription.
Tuseprex tablets are used for children from 15 years of age. A single dose of the drug is 10 mg, and a daily dose is 40.
Rengalin is taken one tablet separately from food. The drug has unproven efficacy.
Falimint is a tablet for topical use. Taken as needed, but no more than 10 per day.

Children 4-5 years old should not be given medication in the form of tablets just because they will not be able to take the medication without first crushing.

herbal remedies

Many parents choose to replace synthetic drugs with herbal remedies.

Gerbion syrup is actively used to treat dry cough. It does not affect the respiratory center and does not raise the cough threshold. Has a pronounced anti-inflammatory and soothing effect.

Herbs are also very popular in the treatment of dry children's cough. Decoctions prepared from them are used for gargling and drinking.

Have an antitussive effect:

plantain;
ginger;
chamomile;
sage;
chest fees;
licorice.

The effectiveness of non-standard treatment will be higher if it is started earlier. It is almost impossible to achieve an antitussive effect with a protracted or chronic cough with herbal preparations.

The use of herbs, despite their alleged safety, should also be agreed with the doctor. Many compounds are allergens and are not suitable for children under 3-5 years old.

The prescribed treatment with antitussive drugs cannot be replaced by folk recipes.

Contraindications

It is forbidden to give children narcotic antitussives on their own. Such drugs can cause respiratory depression, which is fraught with unpleasant consequences.

Antitussive drugs for children with a wet cough are strictly prohibited. The main purpose of medications is to stop the cough reflex and alleviate the condition of the child.

If the cough is caused by the accumulation of sputum in the bronchi, then the thick mucus must be thinned and then removed. Giving the child an antitussive, parents drown out the manifestations of the disease. This can lead to complications.

Antitussives are also contraindicated for children who are hypersensitive to a certain type of medication. Ignoring this condition leads to the development of an allergic reaction of varying intensity.

When prescribing a drug for dry cough to a small patient, the doctor always gives individual recommendations and advice. Antitussive formulations should be offered to children half an hour before meals.

Compliance with this condition will allow you to get the maximum therapeutic effect. The exception is drugs that have an individual scheme of use.

The correct environmental conditions must also be maintained. The air in the room should be cool and humid.

Following the advice of a doctor and strict adherence to the rules for using drugs will cure a dry cough in a child in the shortest possible time and at minimal cost.

Cough treatment, antitussive drugs

In contact with

Cough is a complex reflex reaction of the airways, the main function of which is to restore their normal patency.
The occurrence of a cough may be due to irritation of the cough receptors of the nose, ears, posterior pharyngeal wall, trachea, bronchi, pleura, diaphragm, pericardium, esophagus. External and internal factors ( foreign bodies, cold and dry air, aeropollutants, tobacco smoke, nasal mucus, sputum, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, etc.) excite cough receptors, which are divided into irritant, quickly responding to mechanical, thermal, chemical stimuli, and C-receptors, predominantly stimulated by inflammatory mediators (prostaglandins, kinins, substance P, etc.). The resulting impulse is transmitted through the afferent fibers of the vagus nerve to the cough center located in the medulla oblongata. The reflex arc is closed by efferent fibers of the vagus, phrenic and spinal nerves going to the muscles of the chest, diaphragm and abdominals, the contraction of which leads to the closure of the glottis, followed by its opening and expulsion with high air speed, which is manifested by coughing.
In addition, coughing can be caused or suppressed voluntarily, since the formation of the cough reflex is under the control of the cerebral cortex.
Cough is classified by nature (unproductive, or dry, and productive, or wet cough), by intensity (cough, mild and coughing), by duration (episodic, paroxysmal and persistent cough), by course (acute - up to 3 weeks, protracted - more than 3 weeks and chronic - 3 months or more).
In some cases, cough loses its physiological expediency and not only does not contribute to the resolution of the pathological process in respiratory system, but also leads to the development of complications.
The reflex arc of the cough reflex includes receptors, the cough center, afferent and efferent nerve fibers, and the executive link - the respiratory muscles. Cough is most effectively suppressed at two levels - the receptor level and the level of the cough center. In this regard, antitussive drugs are divided into 2 groups: central and peripheral action. In turn, drugs of central action can be divided into narcotic and non-narcotic drugs.

mechanism of action and pharmacological effects Centrally acting narcotic antitussives
These include morphine-like compounds such as codeine, ethylmorphine, and dextromethorphan, which suppress the function of the cough center in the medulla oblongata. The most well-known antitussive narcotic drug is codeine, which is a natural narcotic analgesic from the group of opioid receptor agonists. Medicines from the codeine group are very effective, but they have significant drawbacks. Their antitussive action is not selective, they simultaneously depress the respiratory center. Dextromethorphan is a synthetic antitussive, similar in chemical structure and activity to opiates ( codeine); has a central effect by raising the cough threshold.

Non-narcotic antitussive drugs of central action
These include oxeladin, butamirate, glaucine, pentoxyverine, ledin and folcodin, which have a selective central action. They partially suppress the cough center, without having a pronounced inhibitory effect on the respiratory center. Not inferior in strength to codeine, they are not addictive and addictive, do not depress breathing and do not affect intestinal motility (do not cause constipation). Some antitussive drugs have additional effects that improve their action. So, for oxeladin, butamirate and ledin, some bronchodilator action is characteristic. Butamirate also has expectorant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Non-narcotic antitussive drugs of peripheral action
This group of drugs includes prenoxdiazine, levodropropizine, benpropyrine and bithiodine, which affect the afferent component of the cough reflex, acting on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract as an anesthetic and reducing the reflex stimulation of the cough reflex. In addition, they have a local anti-inflammatory effect, help to relax the smooth muscles of the bronchi.

Enveloping drugs also refer to peripheral afferent antitussive drugs. Their action is based on the creation of a protective layer on the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx and oropharynx. They are oral lozenges or syrups and teas containing plant extracts of eucalyptus, acacia, licorice, wild cherry, linden, etc., glycerin, honey, etc.
One of the ways to influence the afferent part of the reflex arc is also the use of aerosols and steam inhalations to moisten the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. Steam inhalation, by itself or with the addition of sodium chloride or herbal decoctions or extracts, is the most affordable method of moisturizing. Along with inhalations, drinking plenty of fluids can be used.
Antitussive drugs with local anesthetic activity reduce the feeling of soreness and irritation in the throat, reduce sensitivity to various irritating factors, weakening the cough reflex. The drugs are used in the form of drugs for resorption in the oral cavity.
Local anesthetics (benzocaine, cyclaine, tetracaine) are also afferent drugs, but are used only in a hospital for special indications.

Pharmacokinetics
Most drugs are well absorbed after oral administration. The maximum plasma concentration of codeine is reached after 1 hour, butamirate citrate - after 1.5 hours. In the latter case, it is 6.4 μg / ml, the connection with proteins is 95%. Both drugs undergo biotransformation in the liver and are almost completely excreted in the urine as metabolites and unchanged. T1 / 2 of codeine - 3-4 hours, citrate butamirate - 6 hours. The pharmacokinetics of most other drugs and their components have not been studied.

Tactics for choosing medicines for coughing
If the reason for prescribing drugs is the cough itself, it is better to use drugs that act on the specific cause of the cough in this case. Antitussive drugs are symptomatic therapy. Moisturizing inhalations and drugs with enveloping peripheral action or their combination with non-narcotic drugs of central action such as prenoxdiazine are indicated to relieve cough associated with the phenomena of acute respiratory infection. In the presence of sputum, it is advisable to prescribe expectorant drugs or mucolytics. When coughing in a patient with symptoms of bronchospasm, along with moisturizing, it is advisable to prescribe bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory drugs, but narcotic antitussive drugs and mucolytics are contraindicated, with the exception of bromhexine and ambroxol. For the purposeful suppression of an unproductive cough caused by irritation of the respiratory mucosa (for example, with whooping cough), it is possible to use antitussive non-narcotic drugs of central action in children.

Place in therapy
Antitussive drugs are used to suppress frequent dry cough that disturbs the patient's condition. For cough associated with irritation of the upper respiratory tract, the use of antitussive drugs with local anesthetic activity is indicated. They are symptomatic therapy drugs in the treatment inflammatory processes in the pharynx (tonsillitis, pharyngitis) and larynx (laryngitis). Actually local anesthetics used for afferent inhibition of the cough reflex during bronchoscopy or bronchography.

Contraindications and warnings
Administration of antitussive drugs to a patient with wet cough leads to stagnation of sputum in the airways, which impairs bronchial patency and may contribute to the development of pneumonia. Narcotic cough medicines can cause respiratory depression.

Literature

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