The French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM) is sounding the alarm! Over-the-counter cold tablets are said to have harmful side effects on consumers’ health.
Nurofen, Actifed, Humex and Dolirhume are all concerned by the warning! These tablets, which promise rapid relief from cold symptoms, are not without danger! Find out more!
Treating one disease to catch another?
« In case of a cold, avoid oral vasoconstrictor drugs » is the headline of the press release issued by ANSM!
» Myocardial infarctions and strokes can occur after using vasoconstrictor drugs (pseudoephedrine) intended to relieve coldsymptoms. The risk is very low, but these events can occur regardless of the dose and duration of treatment » , warns ANSM.
ANSM advises against the use of these drugs! In fact, « ANSM has requested their re-evaluation at European level « .
The Collège de la médecine générale, the Conseil national professionnel d’ORL, the Ordre national des pharmaciens and the syndicates of dispensing pharmacists (Union de syndicats de pharmaciens d’officine and Fédération des syndicats pharmaceutiques de France) join in this recommendation not to use oral forms of vasoconstrictor drugs to relieve the symptoms of the common cold, a benign rhinopharyngitis of viral origin.
Why so many restrictions? Because these drugs are pseudoephedrine-based vasoconstrictors , i.e. they reduce the size of the blood vessels in the nose in order to relieve you!
However, the undesirable effects of these drugs are not limited to the nose! In fact, they can lead to total obstruction of the blood vessels, even leading to stroke or infarction.
Which drugs should be avoided?
Here is the list of drugs not recommended by ANSM:
- Actifed Rhume,
- Actifed Cold day and night,
- Dolirhume Paracetamol and Pseudoephedrine,
- Dolirhumepro Paracetamol Pseudoephedrine and Doxylamine,
- Humex Rhume,
- Nurofen Cold,
- Rhinadvil Cold Ibuprofen/ Pseudoephedrine,
- Rhinadvilcaps Cold Ibuprofen/ Pseudoephedrine.
The French drug agency also points out that the » risk of adverse effects is increased » if a vasoconstrictor tablet and a vasoconstrictor nasal spray are used simultaneously!
More natural solutions exist!
Colds heal on their own in 7 to 10 days! However, it’s true that it can be annoying during this period to constantly have a blocked nose! There are a few simple steps you can take to relieve the discomfort without ruining your health!
In particular, you can :
- Moisten the inside of the nose with suitable cleansing solutions: saline solution, thermal water or seawater sprays.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Sleep with head elevated.
- Maintain a cool atmosphere (18 or 20°C) and air rooms regularly.