ABSTRACT
Background: Acute coryza or common cold affects the upper airways, sometimes in association with low-grade fever and systemic symptoms, and usually presents with at least two of the following symptoms: cough, dysphonia, throat discomfort, sore throat, nasal congestion, rhinorrhoea, sneezing, headaches, myalgia and fever. A triple combination of analgesics, decongestants and antihistamines provides better relief for multiple symptoms in common cold and allergic rhinitis according to various studies. A combination of Paracetamol as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic, Chlorpheniramine maleate, an anti-histaminic and Phenylephrine as a nasal decongestant is popular in the treatment of common cold. Hence the present study was planned to evaluate efficacy and safety of this combination in treatment of common cold.Methods: This was a phase IV, open-labelled, multicentric study in 159 patients. Efficacy assessment was done by analyzing the reduction in mean TSS at each follow-up visit and safety assessment was done by analyzing the adverse events during the study.Results: There was reduction in mean TSS from 6.62 (day 1) to 3.56 (day 3) and 0.69 (day 5). Most of the patients had >50% reduction in total symptom score at visit 3 and 58.49% patients had complete relief from the symptoms at the end of study. Out of 159 patients, 26 i.e. 16.36% experienced adverse events. Sedation and drowsiness (6.29%) were the most common adverse event seen in patients.Conclusions: A fixed dose combination of Chlorpheniramine maleate, Paracetamol, and Phenylephrine is safe and effective in the treatment of common cold.
ABSTRACT
Background: Beta blockers have been used in the treatment of hypertension, since last four decades and are widely accepted as the first-line treatment for hypertension. Nebivolol, a third generation ?-blocker has highest ?1 selectivity and is devoid of intrinsic sympathomimetic activity. Along with peripheral vasodilatation and nitric oxide (NO)-induced benefits such as antioxidant activity and reversal of endothelial dysfunction, nebivolol promotes better protection from cardiovascular events. The objective of the study was to compare the effects of atenolol and nebivolol on both blood pressure and lipid profile in patients of mild to moderate hypertension.Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, parallel, open labelled study. Patients were recruited from the medicine out-patient department (OPD) and cardiology OPD. A total of 100 patients were enrolled in the study. 50 patients were allocated to atenolol group and 50 patients to nebivolol group. BP and baseline investigations such as lipid profile were performed. Tests to determine lipid profile were performed on the first visit (Week 0) and at 24 weeks. Continuous variables between the two treatment groups were analyzed by unpaired t-test. Efficacy endpoints within the group were analyzed by using paired t-test.Results: All the lipid levels except HDL-C were increased with atenolol therapy. At 24 weeks, atenolol therapy led to increase in LDL-C, VLDL-C, TC and TG which was highly significant (p<0.0001). HDL levels were decreased at 24 weeks which was also statistically highly significant (p<0.0001). The mean values of lipids in nebivolol group at baseline and at 24 weeks. At 24 weeks, nebivolol therapy led to changes in LDL-C, VLDL-C, HDL-C, TC and TG which was not statistically significant (p>0.05).Conclusions: From study it can be concluded that atenolol and nebivolol are equally effective in reducing BP but atenolol worsens lipid profile as compared to nebivolol.