This document discusses common causes and symptoms of cold and flu. The most likely cause is a viral upper respiratory tract infection from rhinovirus. Symptoms may include nasal congestion, discharge, headache, and loss of smell. Influenza has additional symptoms of high fever, body aches, cough, loss of appetite and prevents normal activity. Treatment options discussed include analgesics, antihistamines, sympathomimetics, and over-the-counter remedies like lozenges, vitamin C, echinacea, and saline nasal drops. It also covers drug interactions and cautions for pseudoephedrine use.

1. Cold & Flu
Ph. Ahmed Abd El-Moniem

2. Rhinovirus

4. Most
likely
1
 Viral URTI
Likely
2
 Otitis media
 Rhinosinusitis
 Rhinitis
Unlikely
3
 Influenza
Causes of cold

5. Acute Otitis Media

9. Acute Rhinosinusitis
 Swallowing or clearing throat more than usual
 Nasal discharge (Rhinorrhoea)
 Nasal blockage (Rhinitis)
 Facial pain ( pressure )(Frontal headache) worsens
on bending forward, coughing up, sneezing or
moving the eyes from side to side
 Loss of smell
 Seasonal (hay fever = allergic rhinitis)

10. Nasal discharge
(Rhinorrhoea)
(Thick clear watery)
Discoloured or purulent
nasal discharge
Severe localized frontal pain

11. Influenza
 High fever
 Muscular & joint aches
 Nonproductive cough
 Loss of appetite
 Between December and March
 Shivering and chills
 Prevents from doing normal day to day
 Bed bound and unable to go

12. Analgesics, Antihistamines & Sympathomimetics

13. Analgesics, Antihistamines & Sympathomimetics

14. Analgesics, Antihistamines & Sympathomimetics

15. Analgesics, Antihistamines & Sympathomimetics

16. Analgesics, Antihistamines & Sympathomimetics

17. Ph. Ahmed Abd El-Moniem
 Lead to a sleepless night if taken close to bedtime (CNS
stimulant)
 Not be given to children under 6 years old
 Limited to a maximum of 720 mg on 5 days (60 mg 3 times daily)

18. Ph. Ahmed Abd El-Moniem
Avoided in patients with :
Diabetes
Hypertension
Hyperthyroidism
Coronary heart disease (e.g. angina)
Lung disease (e.g. Asthma, COPD )
Glaucoma
BPH

19. Ph. Ahmed Abd El-Moniem
Drug-drug interactions:
 MAOIs ( This interaction can occur up to 2
weeks after a patient has stopped taking
MAOIs causing hypertensive crisis, so avoid
topical and oral sympathomimetics during
this period )
 Beta blockers (clinically unimportant)
(The overall effect is a slight increase in both blood pressure and
heart rate.)
 Tricyclic antidepressants (theoretical)

20. Ph. Ahmed Abd El-Moniem
Pseudoephedrine-drug interactions:

21. Ph. Ahmed Abd El-Moniem
Pseudoephedrine-drug interactions:

22. Ph. Ahmed Abd El-Moniem
Pseudoephedrine-drug interactions:

24. Lozenges

32. Vitamin C is a reducing agent and may interfere with
diabetic urine glucose(urine sugar)(glucosuria) test.

33. Echinacea

38. Saline nasal drops

39. 180 mg of allicin for 12 weeks
prevents occurrence of common cold