Junior meltus dry coughs with congestion

How does it work?

Junior meltus dry coughs with congestion liquid contains two active ingredients, dextromethorphan and pseudoephedrine.

Dextromethorphan is a type of medicine called a cough suppressant. It is used to suppress a dry, tickly, unproductive cough.

Coughing is a reflex response to irritation of the airways. It is useful for clearing mucus, dust and other particles from the throat and lungs. It is important because it reduces the amount of mucus, dust and bacteria in the airways that would otherwise make breathing difficult. However, sometimes, coughing can become overstimulated even when there is no mucus to clear from the lungs or throat. In this situation coughing serves no purpose and can become painful and frustrating.

Dextromethorphan is used to block the cough reflex in situations where the cough serves no purpose, ie when no plegm is being coughed up. It works by reducing the nerve signals sent from a part of the brain called the coughing centre to the muscles that produce coughing.

Pseudoephedrine is a type of medicine called a decongestant. It works by acting on alpha receptors that are found in the walls of blood vessels in the linings of the nasal passages and sinuses. It causes these blood vessels to contract and narrow, thereby decreasing blood flow into the linings of the nose and sinuses. This reduces the feeling of congestion and also reduces the production of mucus.

Pseudoephedrine also has a weak effect on receptors in the lungs called beta 2 receptors. By acting on these receptors it causes the muscles in the airways to relax. This allows the airways to open, making breathing easier.

The combination of dextromethorphan and pseudoephedrine in this medicine is useful for relieving dry, tickly, unproductive coughs with associated nasal or sinus congestion.

What is it used for?

Dry, irritating, unproductive coughs and nasal congestion in children, eg associated with colds.

Warning!

Do not exceed the recommended dose. If symptoms persist consult your doctor.

If your child has any of the following symptoms you should not give this medicine and consult your doctor so that the cough can be investigated further: coughing up phlegm that is green, rusty brown, yellow, blood-stained or foul smelling; shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; chest pain; pain and swelling in the calf; sudden weight loss; recurrent night-time cough; or a long-term persistent cough.

Use with caution in

Asthma

Severely decreased liver function

Severely decreased kidney function

Heart disease

High blood pressure

Overactive thyroid gland

Difficulty passing urine (urinary retention)

Diabetes

Raised pressure in the eye ball, eg glaucoma.

Not to be used in

Children under two years of age

Severe coronary artery disease

Very high blood pressure

Chronic bronchitis

Condition called bronchiectasis, in which there is persistent widening of the airways as a result of lung disease, eg infection, inflammation, tumours or cystic fibrosis.

Children who have taken a monoamine-oxidase inhibitor antidepressant (MAOI) in the last 14 days.

This medicine should not be used if your child is allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if your child has previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel your child has experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain

Dizziness

Restlessness

Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)

Anxiety

Increased heart rate

Rash

Difficulty in passing urine (urinary retention)

False perceptions of things that are not really there (hallucinations)

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

If your child is already taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines and those bought without a prescription, you should check with your pharmacist before giving this medicine, to ensure that the combination is safe.

This medicine should not be used by people who are currently taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor antidepressant, eg phenelzine, tranylcypromine, isocarboxazid or moclobemide, or who have taken one of these medicines in the last 14 days. This is because the combination of pseudoephedrine with these medicines could cause a dangerous rise in blood pressure (hypertensive crisis).

If pseudoephedrine is taken with any of the following the combination may cause an increase in blood pressure:

other decongestants (often found in non-prescription cough and cold remedies)

tricyclic antidepressants, eg amitriptyline

appetite suppressants

amphetamine-like stimulants.

Pseudoephedrine may reduce the effects of medicines to treat high blood pressure (antihypertensives). If your child is taking medicines for high blood pressure they should not take this medicine.

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