Everything you need to know about ENT Medications
Recently, I reviewed a pharmacopeia that listed over forty common brand names for ENT medications. They all had the following classes of medications occurring in different combinations and sold under different brand names. Because of this, many cold and cough medicines contain the same active ingredients. Take a look at the labels to see which medicines treat the symptoms that you have before picking them.
| Nasal Decongestants (Treats congestion / unclog a stuffy nose.) |
Antihistamines (Treats runny noses, sneezing, etc) |
Cough Suppressant / Antitussive (To treat a cough) |
Expectorants (Loosen mucus so you can cough it up.) |
Analgesics / Antipyretics (Treats fever, headaches, and minor aches and pains.) |
| Phenylephrine | Dimenhydramine | Dextromethorphan | Guaifenesin | Acetaminophen |
| Pseudoephedrine | Chlorpheniramine | Hydrocodone | NSAIDS | |
| oxymetazoline | Brompheniramine | Codeine | ||
| Promethazine | Dexbrompheniramine | Benzonatate (Tessalon)B | ||
| Doxylamine | ||||
| Desloratadine | ||||
| Loratadine | ||||
| Fexofenadine | ||||
| Acrivastine | ||||
| Promethazine |
Related article: Side Effects of Sympathomimetic Decongestants (Phenylephrine, Pseudoephedrine).
B: Benzonate anesthetizes respiratory passage, lung, and pleural stretch receptors, reducing cough reflect (local anesthetic).
-Promethazine is an antihistamine (non-selectively antagonizes central and peripheral H1 receptors) that also possesses anticholinergic properties, resulting in antiemetic and sedative effects.
-Antihistamines treat symptoms like sniffling, sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, and a runny nose. These treat allergy symptoms as well as cold symptoms.
-Expectorants, e.g. guaifenesin, are meant to increase the volume of airway water or secretion in order to increase the effectiveness of a cough.
-Decongestants reduce the swelling of tissues in your nose, making it easier to breathe.
-Antitussives and expectorants treat cough.
Some common brand names and their contents
- Cheratussin AC = Codeine / Guaifenesin
- Tussionex = Hydrocodone / Chlorpheniramine
- PediaCare Children’s Cough and Congestion = Dextromethorphan / Guaifenesin. Can use in kids ≥ 4 years.
- Triaminic daytime cold & cough = Dextromethorphan / phenylephrine
- Phenergan DM = Promethazine DM (Promethazine & Dextromethorphan). Can be given to kids ≥ 2 years.
#Cough
Cheratussin AC = Codeine / guaifenesin
Cheratussin AC comes as 10/100/5ml
Rx: 10ml Po Q4-6prn, cough
#Viral URI with a cough
Phenergan DM ( is something that Pediatrician Dr. Go uses all the time. First, a lot of her pediatric patients have n/v with their cough. Second, and very important, Phenergan DM is the only cough medicine covered by insurance. The rest are over the counter. Her patients have to pay for it and many don’t have the money to do so and expect their doctor to prescribe a medication that the insurance will cover.
Phenergan DM = Promethazine DM (Promethazine & Dextromethorphan)
Sympathomimetic Decongestants