Treatment of the Common Cold – Advanced pharmacology week 4 response 1
Type of document Essay
1 Page
Subject area Pharmacology
Academic Level Master
Style APA
Number of references 4
Order description:
Please respond to rebeccas post and use the weeks resources Provide alternative recommendations for drug treatments. and use readings as references that I add at the end of rebeccas post
Rebecca Fortier
Common Cold
COLLAPSE
Treatment of the Common Cold
The common cold is often associated with the following symptoms: sore throat, cough, headache, rhinorrhea, fatigue and a low-grade fever (Sexton & McClain, 2018). Treatment for patients with a common cold only occurs when they have moderate to severe symptoms, if they have mild symptoms they should come back if condition worsens. With a cold, antibiotics are not used to treat the common cold; treatment only includes symptom management medications. If antibiotics are prescribed, it may lead to antibiotic resistance, increased chance of adverse drug reactions and increased health care costs (Huntington, VanKeulen, & Hoffman, 2013). To treat the various forms of pain associated with a cold, such as achiness and headaches, analgesics such as acetaminophen should be given. A combination therapy of decongestant with an antihistamine such as Zyrtec-D should be used to treat the rhinorrhea and other nasal related symptoms. Cromolyn sodium, a mast cell stabilizer, is used for rhinorrhea, cough and sore throat and was found to shorten the course of the cold (Sexton & McClain, 2018). Lastly, if the cough is severe, a cough suppressant like dextromethorphan may be given.
The Common Cold in the Pediatric Population
The first line of treatment in children struggling with the common cold is supportive care rather than over the counter medications, due to the possibility of adverse events with OTC medications (Pappas, 2018). The supportive measures include: encouraging use of fluids (especially warm fluids), use of a humidifier, and saline nasal drops to decrease mucus build-up. With children under 12, OTC medications should be avoided unless the patient has a fever, then an antipyretic such as acetaminophen may be given. Decongestants like pseudoephedrine may be suggested for patients over the age of 12.
Treatment Plan
For an adult patient coming in with moderate to severe symptomology of a cold (fatigue, headache, sore throat, rhinorrhea and a low-grade fever) I would prescribe treatment for the symptoms.
To treat the pain and fever:
Acetaminophen 650 mg tablet by oral route every 4-6 hours as needed for pain or fever
For congestion/ rhinorrhea:
Zyrtec-D (Cetirizine / pseudoephedrine) 5 mg / 120 mg take one tablet twice a day as needed for congestion
References
Huntington, M. K., VanKeulen, S., & Hoffman, W. W. (2013). What ever happened to the common cold? Improving antibiotic utilization. South Dakota Medicine: The Journal Of The South Dakota State Medical Association, 66(4), 136.
Pappas,D.E. (2018) The Common Cold In Children Management and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/the-common-cold-in-children-management-and-prevention
Sexton, D.J., & McClain, M.T. (2018). The Common Cold in Adults: Treatment and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/the-common-cold-in-adults-treatment-and-prevention
Please use these as references
Learning Resources
This page contains the Learning Resources for this week. Be sure to scroll down the page to see all of this week’s assigned Learning Resources. To access select media resources, please use the media player below.
Required Readings
Arcangelo, V. P., Peterson, A. M., Wilbur, V., & Reinhold, J. A. (Eds.). (2017). Pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice: A practical approach (4th ed.). Ambler, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Chapter 18, “Otitis Media and Otitis Externa” (pp. 243-252)
This chapter compares the causes and pathophysiology of two common ear infections—otitis media and otitis externa. It also identifies types of drugs used to treat these ear infections.
Chapter 24, “Upper Respiratory Infections” (pp. 259-374)
This chapter explores the causes, pathophysiology, and diagnostic criteria of two upper respiratory infections—the common cold and sinusitis—as well as drug therapy for both infections. It also covers monitoring patient response and patient education of drug therapy for these infections.
Chapter 25, “Asthma” (pp. 377-392)
This chapter examines the causes, pathophysiology, pharmacogenomics, and diagnostic criteria of asthma. It also outlines suggested drug therapy plans for asthmatic patients.
Chapter 26, “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease” (pp. 395-406)
This chapter explains the causes and pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It also examines the process of selecting, administering, and managing drug therapy for COPD patients.
Chapter 27, “Bronchitis and Pneumonia” (pp. 407-424)
This chapter begins by examining the causes, pathophysiology, and diagnostic criteria of acute bronchitis, chronic bronchitis, and community-acquired pneumonia. It then explores the process of selecting, administering, and managing drug therapy for patients with bronchitis and pneumonia.
Drugs.com. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.drugs.com/
This website presents a comprehensive review of prescription and over-the-counter drugs including information on common uses and potential side effects. It also provides updates relating to new drugs on the market, support from health professionals, and a drug-drug interactions checker.
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. (2007). Expert panel report 3 (EPR3): Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. Retrieved from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.htm
This website presents guidelines for diagnosing and managing asthma and outlines treatment recommendations for specific age groups.
