Pseudoephedrine is an over-the-counter medication that is commonly used to treat nasal congestion, sinus congestion, and runny nose . These symptoms can be caused by various medical conditions, such as colds , sinusitis, or allergies . Pseudoephedrine only treats symptoms; it is not a cure for viral or bacterial diseases.

Some healthcare providers prescribe pseudoephedrine to treat ear fluids , but the effectiveness of this use is generally low.

You should be aware that Sudafed PE is actually made up of phenylephrine, which is similar but not the same as pseudoephedrine.

Applications

The most common indication for pseudoephedrine is a decongestant for conditions such as nasal congestion, sinus congestion, and Eustachian tube congestion. It works by reducing inflammation of the nasal membranes, reducing swelling (inflammation of the tissues) and hyperemia (increasing blood flow to the tissues of the nose).

You can take pseudoephedrine if:

• You have a runny nose, nasal congestion, sinus congestion, or severe allergy-related symptoms.
• You are healthy and have never had an allergic reaction to pseudoephedrine or other medications that contain pseudoephedrine.

If you have health problems, take other medications regularly, or if you are pregnant, you should consult your healthcare professional and pharmacist before taking pseudoephedrine.

As accepted

Pseudoephedrine comes in a variety of forms, including tablets, extended-release tablets, and liquid. It's available over the counter in infant and adult formulas, so make sure the formula you buy is age appropriate.

The extended-release tablets should not be cut, crushed, or chewed. Before administering or taking pseudoephedrine, carefully follow the instructions on the bottle and consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

Side effects

Pseudoephedrine is also classified as an alpha-adrenergic and beta-adrenergic agonist. Alpha and beta are types of nerve receptors that control smooth muscle contraction, such as in blood vessels. By activating these receptors, pseudoephedrine causes vasoconstriction (narrowing of the blood vessels.

Because these receptors are found not only in the nasal passages, pseudoephedrine can cause other smooth muscles to contract, stimulate the heart rate, and slow parts of the digestive tract.

Common side effects include :

• Anxiety
• Nausea
• Anxiety
• Soft spot
• Headache
• Insomnia
• Redness
• Tremble
• Itching

Call your doctor or seek emergency help if you have any of these symptoms.

Contraindications

Pseudoephedrine is contraindicated for use in certain people whose treatment may pose a health hazard. Never use it if:

• You have had an allergic reaction in the past.
• You are taking any medications from the MAO inhibitor class, such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepril, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnat).
• If you have not taken one of the MAO inhibitors listed above or other MAO inhibitors for more than 14 days, it is safe to take pseudoephedrine.
• This medication should be used with caution in people who have a history of high blood pressure, thyroid disease, heart disease, an enlarged prostate, or diabetes.
• Newborns should not receive pseudoephedrine or women who are breastfeeding.

Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you have any of these conditions.

Prescription of laws

On March 9, 2006, President George W. Bush signed into law the Methamphetamine Epidemic Control Act of 2005, which was incorporated into the Patriot Act. Methamphetamines are highly addictive street drugs that are 'made' in illegal laboratories using over-the-counter pseudoephedrine and other home remedies. ingredients (pseudoephedrine can be chemically altered to produce methamphetamine). They can then be swallowed, snorted, injected, or smoked for a stimulant.

You don't need to worry about providing this information unless you buy pseudoephedrine in bulk as it takes 700 to 1000 tablets to get 0.5 to 1 gram of methamphetamine.