{"id":234,"date":"2019-11-12T17:43:11","date_gmt":"2019-11-12T22:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/nursingpharmacology\/chapter\/5-7-decongestants\/"},"modified":"2023-08-15T12:58:57","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T16:58:57","slug":"5-7-decongestants","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/nursingpharmacology\/chapter\/5-7-decongestants\/","title":{"raw":"5.7 Decongestants","rendered":"5.7 Decongestants"},"content":{"raw":"

Decongestants<\/h1>\r\nDecongestant medications have been available over the counter (drugs that you can buy at a pharmacy without a prescription) for years.\u00a0 Although they are readily available, considerations are necessary when taking any drug. In this chapter we will explore these drugs further.\r\n\r\n\"A\r\n

Pseudoephedrine<\/h1>\r\nPseudoephedrine is an over-the-counter (OTC) decongestant (see Figure 5.7<\/span>[footnote]\"Project 366 #165: 130612 Helping Hand?<\/a>\" by Pete<\/a> is licensed under public domain<\/a>[\/footnote]). More details regarding pseudoephedrine are described in the \"Autonomic Nervous System\" chapter<\/a>.\r\n

Mechanism of Action<\/h2>\r\nPseudoephedrine acts directly on the adrenergic receptors and acts indirectly by releasing norepinephrine from its storage sites. The drug produces vasoconstriction, which shrinks nasal mucosa membranes.\r\n

Indications for Use<\/h2>\r\nDecongestants relieve nasal obstruction due to inflammation.\r\n

Nursing Considerations Across the Lifespan<\/h2>\r\nThis medication is not safe for children under the age of 4 years.\r\n

Adverse\/Side Effects<\/h2>\r\nCommon adverse\/side effects include hypertension, dysrhythmia, dizziness, headache, insomnia, and restlessness. Some clients may experience blurred vision, tinnitus, chest tightness, dry nose, and nasal congestion.\r\n\r\nDecongestants are contraindicated in clients with severe hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), narrow-angle glaucoma, and some antidepressant use. Also, clients who have cardiac dysrhythmias, hyperthyroidism, DM (diabetes mellitus), prostatic hypertrophy, and glaucoma should use with caution.[footnote]Frandsen, G. & Pennington, S. (2018). Abrams\u2019 clinical drug: Rationales for nursing practice <\/em>(11th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.[\/footnote]\r\n

Client Teaching & Education<\/h2>\r\nClient must take care to follow dosing recommendations.\u00a0 If dosing standards are surpassed, some clients may experience side effects such as increased nervousness, breathing difficulties, heart rate changes, and hallucinations.[footnote]uCentral from Unbound Medicine. https:\/\/www.unboundmedicine.com\/ucentral<\/a>[\/footnote]\r\n

Pseudoephedrine Medication Card<\/h1>\r\nNow let's take a closer look at the medication drug card on Pseudoephedrine. Medication cards are intended to assist students to learn key points about each medication class.\u00a0 Basic information related to a common generic medication in this class is outlined, including administration considerations, therapeutic effects, and side effects\/adverse effects.\u00a0 Prototype\/generic medication listed in the medication card is also hyperlinked to a free resource from Daily Med<\/a>.\u00a0 Because information about medication is constantly changing, nurses should always consult evidence-based resources to review current recommendations before administering specific medication.in Table 5.7.[footnote]This work is a derivative of\u00a0Pharmacology Notes: Nursing Implications for Clinical Practice<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0Gloria Velarde<\/a>\u00a0is licensed under\u00a0CC BY-NC-SA 4.0<\/a>.[\/footnote], [footnote]Frandsen, G. & Pennington, S. (2018).\u00a0Abrams\u2019 clinical drug: Rationales for nursing practice\u00a0<\/em>(11th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.[\/footnote], [footnote]This work is a derivative of\u00a0Daily Med<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0U.S. National Library of Medicine<\/a>\u00a0in the public domain<\/a>. [\/footnote].\r\n<\/span><\/span>\r\n
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Medication Card 5.7.1: Pseudoephedrine<\/h2>\r\n<\/header>\r\n
\r\n\r\nClass:<\/strong> Decongestants\r\n\r\nPrototypes:<\/strong> Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)\r\n\r\nMechanism: <\/strong>Sudafed is an over the counter decongestant. It acts on the adrenergic receptors by releasing norepinephrine from its storage sites.\u00a0 This causes vasoconstriction-shrinking nasal mucosa membranes.\r\n

Therapeutic Effects<\/h3>\r\n