It isn’t appropriate to only use expectorant drug to treat bacterial infections.
For the cough with sputum, particularly with viscous sputum difficult to expectorate, patients should use expectorant drugs in addition to drink plenty of water to increase the fluid in the airway, and the phlegm drugs are mainly three types:
First, the mucus mucopolysaccharide dissolved drugs: they can dissolve the thick sputum, lower the viscosity and make it easy to cough up and out. The commonly used cough drugs are Bisolvon and Mucosolvan. The former applies to treat chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and other diseases with sticky white sputum which is not easy to expectorate; Mucosolvan applies to treat acute and chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, emphysema, as well as adult respiratory distress.
Second, stimulation to increase bronchial glands secretion: they can stimulate the bronchial to secrete more water to dilutee the phlegm in the airway and to make it easier to expectorate. The commonly used drugs are ammonium chloride, guaiacol glycerin ether, as well as sodium iodide. The effect is obvious when taking on an empty stomach but it must be accompanied by other agents due to the vomiting by over dosage. Apply to treat acute respiratory inflammation, sticky mucus difficult to cough. Patients with diseases of the digestive system, particularly those with gastric ulcer should use it with caution.
Third, drugs promoting the ciliary beat frequency in respiratory trace cells. This role will contribute to the emission of sputum. The commonly used drug is Myrtenol.
If the cough lasts for a few days and the sputum becomes thicker and yellow, which show bacterial infection, in particular also accompanied by a fever, it is necessary to use antibiotics with expectorants. If the cough still can’t be relieved with the use of antibiotics and expectorants or recurrent, and last for more than 8 weeks, which is chronic cough, you must select the appropriate treatment under the guidance of specialists according to different causes. |