What is the best medicine for elderly people to take when coughing?
With seasonal changes and temperature fluctuations, the problem of cough among the elderly has become a hot topic recently. Many families are concerned about how to choose appropriate cough medicines for the elderly while avoiding side effects. This article will combine the hot discussions and medical advice from the entire Internet in the past 10 days to provide you with structured data and analysis.
1. Common causes of cough in the elderly
Cough in the elderly may be caused by many factors, and drugs need to be selected according to the cause. The following are common reasons and proportions:
| Cause | Proportion | Typical symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| cold or flu | 35% | Dry cough or a small amount of white phlegm |
| chronic bronchitis | 25% | Long term cough with yellow phlegm |
| allergies or asthma | 20% | Coughing and wheezing at night |
| gastroesophageal reflux | 15% | Cough worsens after meals |
| Others (such as drug side effects) | 5% | Irregular cough |
2. Suggestions on selecting cough medicines
According to the advice of doctors and pharmaceutical experts, the elderly need to pay attention to safety and pertinence when using medications:
| Cough type | Recommended medicine | Things to note |
|---|---|---|
| dry cough | Dextromethorphan, honey water | Avoid use in people with excessive phlegm |
| Cough with phlegm | Ambroxol, acetylcysteine | Need to drink more water to dilute sputum |
| Allergies/Asthma | Loratadine, montelukast | Need to be used with inhalants |
| infectious cough | Amoxicillin (doctor's guidance required) | Do not abuse antibiotics |
3. Recent hot topics of discussion
In the past 10 days, the following topics have been frequently mentioned on social media and health forums:
1.Honey’s antitussive effect: Multiple studies support honey’s ability to relieve nighttime coughs, but diabetics should use it with caution.
2.Controversy over Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescriptions: For example, when using Chuanbei loquat paste, some experts believe that its high sugar content may aggravate phlegm.
3.drug interactions: Elderly patients often need to take a variety of drugs, and they need to pay attention to the conflict between cough suppressants, antihypertensive drugs, and anticoagulants.
4. Five principles for safe medication use
Based on the medical advice from the entire network, the elderly need to follow the following principles when using medication:
1.Diagnosis first, medication later: If a cough persists for more than 2 weeks, you should seek medical attention to rule out serious diseases such as pneumonia.
2.Halve dose: The elderly have slow metabolism, so some drugs need to be started at 1/2 of the adult dose.
3.Pay attention to side effects: For example, dextromethorphan may cause dizziness and avoid the risk of falling.
4.Non-drug therapies preferred: Humidifying the air, gargling with warm water, etc. can relieve symptoms.
5.Record medication reactions: Help doctors adjust plans.
5. Summary
Cough medication for the elderly needs to be individualized and selected based on the cause and physical condition. It is recommended to take medication under the guidance of a doctor, and give priority to safe non-drug therapies. The honey and traditional Chinese medicine solutions that have been hotly discussed recently can be used as an auxiliary, but they cannot replace formal treatment.
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