What is phenylephrine?
Phenylephrine is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose).
Phenylephrine is used to treat nasal congestion and sinus pressure caused by allergies, the common cold, or the flu. Phenylephrine may be used to treat congestion of the tubes that drain fluid from your inner ears, called the eustachian (yoo-STAY-shun) tubes.
Phenylephrine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about phenylephrine?
Do not give this medication to a child younger than 4 years old. Always ask a doctor before giving a cough or cold medicine to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children.
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to phenylephrine.
Do not use phenylephrine if you have used linezolid (Zyvox) or procarbazine (Matulane), or if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) in the last 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take phenylephrine before these other drugs have cleared from your body.
Before you take phenylephrine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any decongestants, or if you have heart disease, heart rhythm disorder, high blood pressure, circulation problems, diabetes, glaucoma, a thyroid disorder, kidney disease, an enlarged prostate or urination problems, anxiety, sleep problems, bipolar disorder or other mental illness.
Phenylephrine may interact with heart or blood pressure medications, antidepressants, diabetes medications, migraine headache medications, and other decongestants.
Never take more of the medicine than directed on the label or prescribed by your doctor.
Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 7 days of using phenylephrine, or if they get worse and your also have a fever.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking phenylephrine?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to phenylephrine.
Do not use phenylephrine if you have used linezolid (Zyvox) or procarbazine (Matulane), or if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) in the last 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take phenylephrine before these other drugs have cleared from your body.
If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use this medication. Before you take phenylephrine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any decongestants, or if you have:
heart disease, heart rhythm disorder;
high blood pressure;
circulation problems (such as Raynaud's syndrome);
diabetes;
glaucoma;
a thyroid disorder;
kidney disease;
an enlarged prostate or urination problems;
sleep problems, anxiety; or
mental illness such as bipolar disorder.
FDA pregnancy category C. Is not known whether this medication will harm an unborn baby. Before you take phenylephrine, tell doctor if you are pregnant.
Phenylephrine may pass into breast milk and could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Older adults may be more likely to have side effects from this medication.
Disintegrating and liquid forms of cold medicine may contain sugar or artificial sweeteners (phenylalanine). This would be important to know if you have diabetes or phenylketonuria (PKU). Check the ingredients and warnings on the medication label if you are concerned about sugar or phenylalanine.