Question

A patient comes to the clinic with symptoms of sinus fullness and sinus inflammation. What group of upper respiratory drugs causes local vasoconstriction therefore decreasing blood flow and shrinking swollen membranes to improve air flow?

Select one:
a. Antitussives
b. Decongestants
c. Expectorants
d. Mucolytics

Answer 1

Decongestants are the group of drugs that cause local vasoconstriction, which helps decrease blood flow and reduce the swelling of nasal membranes. Phenylephrine is a common decongestant that improves airflow by dilating bronchioles and clearing mucus.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a patient comes to the clinic with symptoms of sinus inflammation and sinus fullness, the group of upper respiratory drugs that causes local vasoconstriction to decrease blood flow and shrink swollen membranes, therefore, improving airflow are known as decongestants. An example of a common decongestant is phenylephrine, which is a sympathomimetic drug and an α1-adrenergic agonist. This drug works by binding to adrenergic receptors in the bronchioles of the lungs, causing them to dilate and allowing for the clearing of accumulated mucus from the lower respiratory tract. Phenylephrine is often included in over-the-counter combinations with analgesics and expectorants to alleviate various sinus and chest congestion symptoms.