title: Benefits, limits and danger of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine as nasal decongestants.
abstract: Due to their vasoconstrictive action on the nasal mucosa, ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are highly efficient amines for relief of nasal congestion. As with any vasoconstrictor and as underscored by the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology in its 2011 guideline, these molecules should not be used in patients under the age of 15. Furthermore, due to unpredictable severe cardiovascular and neurological adverse events that may occur even at low dose and in the absence of any pre-existing pathology, they should not be prescribed for the common cold, and ENT physicians must carefully weigh the risk/benefit ratio in patients with allergic rhinitis. Distribution should be regulated and over-the-counter sales banned.
authors.affiliation: Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Paris Cité, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, AP-HP, service ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France; Académie nationale de médecine, 16, rue Bonaparte, 75272 Paris cedex 06, France. Electronic address: ollivier.laccourreye@egp.aphp.fr.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Laccourreye
authors.affiliation: 18, rue de la Ferme, 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.affiliation: Académie nationale de médecine, 16, rue Bonaparte, 75272 Paris cedex 06, France.
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Giroud
authors.affiliation: Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Paris Cité, hôpital Necker-Enfants malades, AP-HP, service ORL, 143, rue de Sèvres, 75015 Paris, France.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Couloigner
authors.affiliation: Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Paris Cité, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, AP-HP, service ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bonfils
authors.affiliation: Université Paul-Sabatier, CHU de Toulouse, Inserm U 1027, service de pharmacologie médicale et clinique, crpv, 37, allée Jules-Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bondon-Guitton
mesh_terms: D004809:Ephedrine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D014663:Nasal Decongestants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054199:Pseudoephedrine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014663:Nasal Decongestants; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D054199:Pseudoephedrine; D004809:Ephedrine
keywords: Ephedrine; Nasal congestion; Pseudoephedrine; Vasoconstrictor