A decongestant is a broad class of medications used to relieve nasal congestion. Medication, also referred to as medicine, can be loosely defined as any substance intended for use in the diagnosis cure mitigation treatment or prevention of disease Nasal congestion is the blockage of the nasal passages usually due to membranes lining the nose becoming swollen from inflamed blood vessels Generally, they work by reducing swelling of the mucous membranes in the nasal passages. In medical parlance, swelling is the enlargement of organs caused by accumulation of excess fluid in tissues, called Edema. The mucous membranes (or mucosae; singular mucosa) are linings of mostly endodermal origin covered in Epithelium, which are involved in Anatomically a nose is a protuberance in Vertebrates that houses the Nostrils or nares which admit and expel air for respiration in conjunction with the

Contents 1 Mechanism 2 Administration 3 Examples 4 See also

Mechanism

Most decongestants cause response from adrenoreceptor a₁, chiefly responsible for vasoconstriction (a₂ modulates adrenaline/noradrenaline levels, b₁ is the most stimulating and increases cardiac output, b₂ dilates the bronchial walls, and b₃ induces lipolysis). The adrenergic receptors (or adrenoceptors) are a class of G protein-coupled receptors that are targets of the Catecholamines Adrenergic receptors Vasoconstriction is the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels particularly the large Arteries, Arterioles Norepinephrine ( INN) (abbreviated norepi or NE) or noradrenaline ( BAN) (abbreviated NA or NAd) is a Stimulant drugs are Drugs that temporarily increase alertness and awareness Cardiac output (Q is the volume of blood being pumped by the Heart, in particular by a ventricle in a minute A bronchodilator is a substance that dilates the bronchi and Bronchioles decreasing airway resistance and thereby facilitating airflow Lipolysis is the breakdown of fat stored in fat cells During this process Free fatty acids are released into the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body The effects are not limited to the nose and these medicines can increase hypertension (blood pressure) through vasoconstriction, but most decongestants are not pronounced stimulants due to lack of response from the other adrenoreceptors. Vasoconstriction is the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels particularly the large Arteries, Arterioles

These are normally paired with antihistamines to lessen this effect, but the combination of both classes of drugs do not necessarily cancel the side effects of each other. A histamine antagonist is an agent which serves to inhibit the release or action of Histamine.

Topical nasal or ophthalmic decongestants quickly develop tachyphylaxis. Tachyphylaxis is a medical term describing a rapidly decreasing response to a drug following administration of the initial doses Long-term use is not recommended since these agents lose effectiveness after a few days.

Administration

These agents are usually administered topically (by the intranasal route) or orally. In Medicine, a topical Medication is applied to body surfaces such as the Skin or Mucous membranes for example the Vagina

Examples

The most common oral decongestants are pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine; phenylpropanolamine (PPA) is another, although it is no longer available in the United States. Pseudoephedrine (commonly abbreviated as PSE is a sympathomimetic Amine commonly used as a Decongestant. Phenylephrine or Neo-Synephrine is an α1-adrenergic receptor Agonist used primarily as a Decongestant, as an agent to dilate the Phenylpropanolamine (PPA is a drug ingredient of the Phenethylamine family used as a Decongestant in prescription and nonprescription (over the counter Oxymetazoline and phenylephrine are a commonly available topical decongestants (nasal sprays). Oxymetazoline is a selective alpha-1 agonist and partial alpha-2 agonist Topical decongestant, used in the form of Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride, in products such

See also

• Nasal congestion (includes non-pharmacological remedies)
• Topical decongestant
• Adrenoreceptor
• Expectorant

Nasal congestion is the blockage of the nasal passages usually due to membranes lining the nose becoming swollen from inflamed blood vessels Topical decongestants are Decongestants applied directly to the Nasal cavity. The adrenergic receptors (or adrenoceptors) are a class of G protein-coupled receptors that are targets of the Catecholamines Adrenergic receptors A cough medicine is a medicinal drug used to treat Coughing and related conditions

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