People with high blood pressure are being told to avoid certain medication if they have the common cold or the flu. It comes as the NHS is warning people to not take decongestants if they have certain health issues – including diabetes.
The medication, which is used for things like hay fever too, works by reducing the swelling of the blood vessels in your nose. This helps to open the airways.
Most decongestants can be bought over the counter from pharmacies without a prescription. It is recommended that people know who can and can’t use it.
Who can’t take decongestants?
Many people can safely use decongestants but they’re not suitable for everyone with the NHS warning “they should not be used by the following groups of people without getting advice from a pharmacist or GP first.” This includes:
people with high blood pressure
people with diabetes
people taking other medicines
people with an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism)
people with liver, kidney, heart or circulation problems
men with an enlarged prostate
people with increased pressure in the eye glaucoma
They also caution it should “not be given to children under 6 years of age.” If you are giving it to a child aged 6 to 11, they should “take them for no longer than 5 days” and you should ask a pharmacist for advice. If you’re pregnant “you should only use them if told to by a healthcare professional.
Decongestants that come as tablets, liquids or powders that you swallow are not recommended if you’re breastfeeding”, they warn. The NHS adds that “the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine will say who should not use it and who should get advice before using it.”
What types of decongestants are there?
Decongestants are available as:
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nasal sprays
liquids or syrup
tablets or capsules
drops
flavoured powders to dissolve in hot water
Some products may just contain decongestant medicine. However, many are sold as “all-in-1” remedies that contain decongestants, painkillers or antihistamines, the health service adds.
Just recently, Dr Xand, resident BBC Morning Live doctor, has said that people should stop wasting their money on over-the-counter medications if they’re suffering with the cold or flu. He said some nasal sprays could actually be making you feel worse.
Speaking on the show this week on November 19 about nasal sprays, he warned that “the stuff you can buy in the chemist is complicated to navigate”, reports Mirror Online, with the first spray many people are drawn to being decongestant sprays. He explained that these type of sprays often “decrease the blood flow in your nose and they’re very effective, but they do have side-effects and you can get a major rebound congestion.
“So when you stop using them the blood vessels in your nose have gotten used to using them so they wear off quite quickly and then you get more congestion afterwards. And it’s actually a very well described phenomenon and it means you can get congestion going on and on and on for ages.
“So personally I would steer clear of them.” He says instead “what can work is washing your nose out, get some of that mucus out which will restore your taste and smell and it will help you breathe a bit more easily.”
