RESPIRATORY STIMULANTS, OXYGEN, MUCOLYTICS, COUGH PREPARATIONS AND DECONGESTANTS

RESPIRATORY STIMULANTS

Their use has been replaced by ventilatory support.

1. Doxapram hydrochloride (Dopram).

PULMONARY SURFACTANTS

Used in the management of respiratory distress syndrome in neonates and preterm neonates.

1. Beractant (Survanta).

2. Poractant Alfa (Curosurf).

OXYGEN

-High concentration oxygen therapy: for uncomplicated cases of conditions such as pneumonia, pulmonary thromboembolism, fibrosing alveolitis, shock, severe trauma, sepsis or anaphylaxis.

-Low concentration oxygen therapy: reserved for patients at risk of hypercapnic respiratory failure, which is more likely in patients with: COPD, cystic fibrosis, non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, severe kyphoscoliosis or severe ankylosing apondylitis, severe lung scarring caused by tuberculosis, musculoskeletal disorders with respiratory weakness and overdose of opioids, benzodiazepines or other drugs causing respiratory depression.

MUCOLYTICS

-Carbocisteine

-Erdosteine (Erdotin)

-Mecysteine Hydrochloride (Visclair)

-Dornase Alfa (Pulmozyme)

-Hypertonic sodium chloride (MucoClear).

COUGH PREPARATIONS

1. Codeine Phosphate (Codeine Linctus).

2. Pholcodine (Pholcodine Linctus, Galenphol)

-Cough preparations used in palliative care: Methadone hydrochloride and Morphine hydrochloride.

SYSTEMIC NASAL DECONGESTANTS

-Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (Galpseud, Sudafed).

Source:

-BNF 57 March 2009