Phenylephrine
Description
Phenylephrine is a nasal decongestant used to relieve nasal blockage caused by sinusitis, cold, allergy, or hay fever. It will not cure the cause of the symptoms or speed the recovery. It is also used as an injection for increasing the blood pressure under certain specific conditions.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Phenylephrine
- Allergy
- Heart rhythm disorders
- Heart attack
- Visual disturbances
- Insomnia
- Increase in the blood pressure
- Nasal irritation
- Difficult or painful urination
Uses of Phenylephrine
What is it prescribed for?
- Nasal congestion
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Hypotension
- Prolongation of spinal anesthesia
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe effect of this medicine can be observed within 10-15 minutes of administration of the dose through the subcutaneous or intramuscular route.
- Duration of effectPhenylephrine remains active in the body for up to 1 hour after administration through the subcutaneous route and for up to 2 hours after administration through the intramuscular route.
- Safe with alcohol?Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
- Is it habit forming?No habit forming tendencies were reported.
- Usage in pregnancy?This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless strictly indicated. The benefits and risks should be discussed with the doctor before using this medicine.
- Usage while breast-feeding?This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women. Your doctor may prescribe an alternative medicine based on your clinical condition.
Allergy
This medicine is not recommended for use in patients with a known allergy to Phenylephrine or any of its components.
Hypertension
Phenylephrine is not recommended for use in patients with severe hypertension since it may worsen the condition of the patient.
Ventricular tachycardia
This medicine is not recommended for use in patients with ventricular tachycardia since it may worsen the condition of the patient.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless strictly indicated. The benefits and risks should be discussed with the doctor before using this medicine.
Breast-feeding
This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women. Your doctor may prescribe an alternative medicine based on your clinical condition.
General warnings
Duration of therapy
Do not take this medication for more than 7 days without consulting your doctor.
Pediatric use
This medicine is not recommended for use in children less than 4 years of age.
Parenteral use
Phenylephrine injection should be administered only in the presence of a trained healthcare professional.
Missed Dose
Phenylephrine tablet and injection are used as and when needed. If you are on a dosing schedule, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. If it is almost the time for the next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not double the dose to make up for the missed one.
Overdose
Seek emergency medical treatment or contact the doctor in case of an overdose.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Instructions
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Interaction with Medicine
Linezolid
Antidiabetic drugs
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
Antidepressants
Beta blockers
Halothane
Disease interactions
Cardiovascular disease
This medicine should be used with extreme caution in patients with cardiovascular diseases due to the increased risk of side effects. Report any incidence of irregular heart rate and very high blood pressure to the doctor on priority.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia
This medicine should be used with caution in patients with an enlarged prostate due to the risk of increased difficulty in passing urine. Report any worsening of symptoms to the doctor immediately.
Diabetes
This medicine should be used with caution in patients with diabetes due to the increased risk of high blood sugars. Close monitoring of blood glucose levels is recommended while using this medicine.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Strictly follow the instructions on the label and take Phenylephrine only as directed. Do not take more than what is prescribed or share this medication with other people. It is advised that you should inform the doctor about all the medicines or herbal products that you are using and about all your medical conditions before taking this medicine. Use this medicine only for the prescribed indication.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Phenylephrine acts by reducing the swelling of the blood vessels in the nasal passages, making it easier to breathe. It is used as an injection to reduce the heart rate and increase the blood pressure for specific purposes.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Nasal preparations
Schedule
Schedule H
Phenylephrine: MedlinePlus Drug Information [Internet]. Medlineplus.gov. 2017 [cited 18 July 2017]. Available from:
Vazculep (phenylephrine hydrochloride) dose, indications, adverse effects, interactions... from PDR.net [Internet]. Pdr.net. 2017 [cited 18 July 2017]. Available from:
[Internet]. 2017 [cited 18 July 2017]. Available from:
DailyMed - PHENYLEPHRINE HYDROCHLORIDE- phenylephrine hydrochloride injection, solution [Internet]. Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 18 July 2017]. Available from:
Prescribing medicines in pregnancy database [Internet]. Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). 2017 [cited 18 July 2017]. Available from:
Information on this page was last updated on 27 Jul 2017
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.