Decongestants provide relief of nasal obstruction for adults with the common cold

摘要

This Cochrane review looked at the use of decongestants for the common cold, which is the commonest common reason for illness in adults - in whom two to four episodes can be experienced every year. Seven trials conducted in adults were identified and used to determine the benefit of one dose of decongestant. This was found to be a 6% improvement in reported symptoms of congestion with a 4% improvement in congestion symptoms continued after 3-5 days' use of decongestants. There was also a reduction in measured nasal-airway resistance. Adverse events in adults were rare, the most frequent being insomnia. No suitable trials of decongestant use in children were identified. The authors concluded that decongestants provide safe, short-term relief of nasal obstruction for adults suffering from the common cold, but are not recommended for children under the age of 12 years.