Nothing is more annoying than realizing that you’re coming down with a cold. But fortunately, that throat tickle or the little nose sniffle that hasn’t gone away by itself is usually remedied by a few doses of cold medicine. However, what most of us don’t think about is how some of the ingredients in those “harmless” cough syrups can unknowingly affect us if we have underlying or pre-existing health issues.
Since most cold medicines contain ingredients that induce sleepiness to allow the body to rest and heal, it can be harmful if the person has heart issues. Here are some of the best medicines that will not only cure your cold but are gentle on the heart.
According to the American Heart Association, the safest cough and cold medicines for you are:
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- chlorpheniramine (Chlortrimeton® or AllerChlor®)
- guaifenesin with dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM®)
- loratadine (Claritin®)
Cough and cold medicines you should not take:
- pseudoephedrine (Sudafed®, Actifed®, Contrex®, and Nyquil®)
- phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine®)
- ephedrine (also known as "ma huang") or any kind of appetite suppressant (such as Metabolife®)
One of the biggest dangers to those with heart problems is sodium which causes your body to retain extra fluid. This hikes blood pressure levels and overworks your heart.
The following medicines are high in sodium:
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- Vicks 44® Cough Syrup, Vicks 44® Cough Relief
- Alka-Seltzer®
- Fleets® Phospho-Soda and Fleets® enema
The following medicines may cause you to retain sodium and fluid:
- ibuprofen (Nuprin®, Advil®, Motrin® and many brands)
- ketoprofen (Orudis KT®, Actron®)
- naproxen (Aleve®)
What is heart disease?
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) the term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type of heart disease in the United States is coronary artery disease (CAD), which affects the blood flow to the heart with more than 30.3 million adults that have been diagnosed. Decreased blood flow can cause a heart attack.
What are the symptoms?
Sometimes heart disease is referred to as the “silent killer” and not diagnosed until it shows up in an outward way. Some of these symptoms are:
- Heart attack: Chest pain or discomfort, upper back or neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea or vomiting, extreme fatigue, upper body discomfort, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
- Arrhythmia: Fluttering feelings in the chest (palpitations).
- Heart failure: Shortness of breath, fatigue, or swelling of the feet, ankles, legs, abdomen, or neck veins.
What are the risk factors?
High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease. About 47% have at least one of these three risk factors. Here some of the most obvious to look out for:
- Diabetes
- Overweight and obesity
- Unhealthy diet
- Physical inactivity
- Excessive alcohol use
What are some of the treatments?
According to the Mayo Clinic, treatments can vary in managing heart disease. Here are a few of the most typical ways to treat heart disease:
- Lifestyle changes. You can lower your risk of heart disease by eating a low-fat and low-sodium diet, getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol intake.
- Medications. If lifestyle changes alone aren't enough, your doctor may prescribe medications to control your heart disease. The type of medication you receive will depend on the type of heart disease.
- Medical procedures or surgery. If medications aren't enough, it's possible your doctor will recommend specific procedures or surgery. The type of procedure or surgery will depend on the type of heart disease and the extent of the damage to your heart.
