A friend told Huazi that after being infected with the virus , he always coughed, but he felt that he could not cough up phlegm. Should he take cough medicine? Huazi told him that cough medicine is not recommended for coughs with phlegm, but expectorants should be used. As long as the phlegm is discharged, the cough will be relieved.
However, it should be noted that expectorants and cough medicines are different, so do not use them incorrectly. And when using expectorants, be careful when combining them with powerful antitussive drugs to avoid affecting phlegm discharge.
Why there is phlegm in the respiratory tract
Human respiratory tract mucosal cells constantly secrete liquid, which is a defense method of the human body . It can moisten the air inhaled, and can also stick to the dust and microorganisms that come in with the air. Through the vibration of cilia on the airway, these liquids will be transported to the pharynx, causing the cough reflex to be spit out, or swallowed into the stomach with saliva.
After being infected by pathogenic microorganisms , the secretion of respiratory mucus will increase, covering some pathogenic microorganisms, together with some inflammatory cells and shed necrotic cells, forming sputum.
When the sputum is too viscous, it will cause the cilia to swing ineffectively, causing the sputum to block the airway and affect ventilation. If sputum cannot be discharged in time, it will remain in the respiratory tract and become a culture medium for pathogens, causing the recurrence and aggravation of respiratory tract infection . Therefore, timely and effective phlegm elimination is an important auxiliary measure in the treatment of respiratory diseases.
Commonly used expectorant drugs
1. Mucolytic agent
1, acidic glycoprotein dissolving agent : Representative drugs include bromhexine , ambroxol , etc., which can reduce the consistency of sputum and make it easier to cough up. It is suitable for people with sticky phlegm that is difficult to cough up.
Ambroxol has a stronger effect than bromhexine and is more commonly used. The adverse reactions of the two are similar. mainly causes gastrointestinal reactions while . People with peptic tract ulcers should use with caution.
2, disulfide bond cleavage agent : representative drugs include acetylcysteine , carboxycysteine , erdosteine, etc., which can cleave the disulfide bond in the glycoprotein polypeptide chain in sputum, decompose the glycoprotein , dissolve and liquefy mucus, and are suitable for those with thick and large amounts of sputum secretion.
Such drugs are irritating to the digestive tract and may cause gastrointestinal bleeding. It is not recommended for patients with peptic tract ulcers. Acetylcysteine has a special smell and is irritating to the respiratory tract to a certain extent. is not recommended for asthma patients .
3, proteolytic agent : Representative drugs include chymotrypsin , serratiopeptidase, etc., which can decompose protein of glycoprotein and directly reduce the viscosity of sputum.
chymotrypsin needs to be inhaled by aerosol, and you need to be careful of allergic reactions. People with severe liver insufficiency and coagulation dysfunction of should not use . Serratiopeptidase can be administered orally. People with abnormal coagulation function and severe liver and kidney dysfunction should not use .
2. Nausea expectorants
Representative drugs include guaifenesin, ammonium chloride, Platycodon grandiflorum, bamboo leaves, etc., which after oral administration will stimulate the gastric mucosa, causing mild nausea, reflexively activate the vagus nerve in the tracheal mucosal glands, promote gland secretion, and dilute sputum.
However, drugs such as can irritate the gastric mucosa. Excessive dosage can cause obvious nausea or vomiting. Therefore, these drugs are generally not used alone. They are mainly included in some compound drugs and have an expectorant effect.
3. Irritating expectorants
Representative drugs include eucalyptus oil , guaiacol, benzoin tincture, etc. These drugs contain volatile components, which can stimulate the respiratory tract and cause mild congestion of the respiratory mucosa after inhalation of steam after dilution and heating, accelerate local blood circulation , and moisten the respiratory tract, making it easier to cough up phlegm.
However, such drugs are inconvenient to use. There is a risk of scalding the respiratory tract when inhaling the steam, and the volatile components of the drug can also cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat. They are not a commonly used method of eliminating phlegm .
4. Nebulized inhalation of glucocorticoids and bronchodilators
Nebulization of glucocorticoids (such as budesonide , beclomethasone , etc.) can reduce respiratory inflammation. Symptomatic reaction; atomized inhalation of the anticholinergic drug (ipratropium bromide) can regulate the secretion of submucosal glands and reduce the excretion of mucin ; aerosol inhalation of the β2 receptor agonist (albuterol, terbutaline , etc.) can relax the trachea and increase ciliary movement. Aerosol inhalation of these three drugs can all promote phlegm excretion.
To summarize, when you cough with phlegm, you need to use expectorants, and antitussives should be used with caution. Mucolytic drugs are currently the most commonly used expectorant drugs. When using them, you need to pay attention to the adverse reactions of the drugs. If you have any questions about medication, please consult your doctor or pharmacist. I am pharmacist Huazi. Welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.
