Non-prescription vasoconstrictor drugs, such as Actifed Rhume or Humex Rhume, used for colds and stuffy noses, may carry "rare, but serious" risks (heart attack, stroke), warns the Medicines Agency on Thursday.
Non-prescription drugs
The ANSM has decided to reinforce the information of patients and pharmacists on the proper use and risks of these oral medications, "very widely used" to decongest the nose, and more specifically on those in the form of tablets and pseudoephedrine base, available without a prescription.
A dispensing aid sheet for pharmacists and an information document for patients "You have a cold, what to do?", In addition to the usual instructions, will soon be available in pharmacies. These two documents can be downloaded from the ANSM website.
Significant misuse of vasoconstrictors
The persistence of cases of rare but serious undesirable effects, in particular myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular accidents, as well as a significant misuse of vasoconstrictors, justifies this reinforcement of information.
These drugs should not be taken more than 5 days. Stop taking it and consult if symptoms persist or worsen. They have contraindications (less than 15 years old, history or risk factor for stroke, high blood pressure or severe coronary insufficiency, glaucoma, certain prostate problems, breast-feeding, in combination with other oral decongestants or nasal...). The sheet which will be systematically given to patients specifies that it should not be used during pregnancy.
Other risks of these drugs
Vasoconstrictors expose to risks other than myocardial infarction and stroke: convulsions, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal hemorrhage (blood through the mouth or in the stools staining them in black) as well as skin reactions severe (redness of the skin spreading to the whole body, pimples, fever).
The cold heals spontaneously in 7 to 10 days without treatment, recalls the ANSM, which describes the advice for use: washing the nose with physiological serum or sprays of thermal or sea water, sleeping with your head raised, drinking enough ...
A vasoconstrictor is often associated with a painkiller (paracetamol, ibuprofen) or an antihistamine (cetirizine) for allergic rhinitis. So you should avoid taking other drugs containing these same molecules, to avoid dangerous overdoses, for example paracetamol.
The drugs concerned are: Actifed Lp Allergic Rhinitis, Actifed Cold, Actifed Cold day and night, Dolirhume Paracetamol and Pseudoephedrine, Dolirhumepro Paracetamol Pseudoephedrine and Doxylamine, Humex Cold, Nurofen Cold, Rhinadvil Cold Ibuprofen / Cold Rhea, Cold rhinophyllum / Rheumatoid
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