Drug of the Week Series - Week 7

General
1

Drug of the week series

A 5-year-old boy with a cold is given an over-the-counter cough syrup by his parents. Within a few hours, he develops excessive drowsiness, slowed breathing, and pinpoint pupils. He is taken to the emergency department.

Questions:

  1. Which drug present in some cough syrups is most likely responsible for these symptoms?
  2. What serious adverse effect is commonly associated with this drug in children?
  3. Why is this drug contraindicated in young children with respiratory infections ?

Poll ;-

  • Which is the safest alternative for cough/fever management in children?
  • A•) Aspirin.
  • B•) Dextromethorphan.
  • C•)Paracetamol.
  • D•)Nimesulide.
0 voters

MBH/PS

1 Like
3

The symptoms mentioned above, as far as I know, are due to opioids that are present in cough syrups. Such opioids, when consumed in high doses in cough syrups, can cause respiratory depression/failure and eventually death. I guess it’s contraindicated since the lungs and the respiratory tract are already damaged and weakened in respiratory infections, and using opioids on top of that is going to be fatal to the child.

4

Correct :100:—opioids can cause dangerous respiratory depression in children.