DRUG PRESCRIPTIONSRespiratory System

Chapter 7By; Carmelita Chavez

Respiratory System &

Medication Respiratory system is the part of the body that

deals with the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in order for people to breath (inhale and exhale.)

Organs in the respiratory system include nasal cavity, pharynx, trachea, bronchial tubes, and lungs.

People might be born or develop complications with these organs such as asthma, inflammation, and infections.

Thanks to science there’s medicine to treat and cure these complications.

Drug prescriptions

Drug prescriptions or medicine that could help to treat problems with the respiratory system are antibiotics, antihistamine, antitussive, bronchodilator, corticosteroids, decongestant, expectorant, and mucolytic.

I’m going to describe in detail antihistamine, bronchodilator, and decongestant.

Antihistamine

Antihistamine

(Anti-) against histamine Is a medication used to treat allergies. Antihistamine “blocks the effects of

histamine that has been released by the body during an allergy attack.”

Histamine is released by the immune system after exposure to allergens (substances that cause allergies.)

Antihistamine

Histamine binds to receptors in the cells where cells that are in the nose and throat swell and leak fluid as a defense mechanism and that’s when symptoms occurred such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing and itchy nose.

Antihistamine medication comes in capsules, tablets, nasal sprays, and injections.

Common generic and brand names for histamine medications Allegra, Loratadine, Claritin, and Benadryl.

Bronchodilator

Bronchodilator

Bronchodilator “relaxes muscles spasms in bronchial tubes. Use to treat asthma.”

20 million Americans have asthma and 75 % of the cases are under age 7.

Is a medication with a substance that dilates bronchi and bronchioles to allow maximum airflow.

To be more specific bronchodilators causes dilation on pulmonary receptors by increasing levels of cAMP, which relaxes smooth muscles.

Bronchodilator

There are two types of bronchodilator the short- acting and long-acting.

Short –acting bronchodilator are use for emergencies to relive asthma symptoms really quick to prevent an asthma attack. It opens airways within few minutes of being inhale.

Long-acting bronchodilator react slower and can be use everyday it takes 45 to an hour to open airways usually people can use this type of bronchodilators twice a day.

Common generic name for bronchodilators are Albuterol, Proventil, and Salmetrol.

Decongestant

Decongestant

Decongestant “reduces stuffiness and congestion throughout the respiratory system.”

Decongestants reduce the congestion and is not an antihistamine. As mention before histamine is what produces the mucus formation decongestants do not block histamine, but will help to dry it.

Decongestants prescriptions or medication can cause side effects such as high blood pressure and heart rate.

Decongestant

There are 2 easy and natural decongestants which are exercising (running) and coffee.

Exercising inhibits adrenaline. A lot of decongestant medicine contain similar ingredients to the adrenaline that helps reduce stuffiness.

Coffee or any product with caffeine helps reduce congestion. Side effects from caffeine are similar to decongestants (high blood pressure and heart rate)

In pharmacies you can find decongestants such as Sinex, Afrin, and Drixoral.

Bibliography

fairmanstudios.com/ http://www.healthmonitor.com http://health.yahoo.com/experts http://www.webmd.com/ http://www.wikipedia.org/ Mosby’s Nursing Drug Reference Book Mosby’s Dictionary