Cold and Flu Drugs

This drug is used to treat mild to moderate pain (e.g., headaches, cold/flu aches and pains) and to reduce fever.

Guaifenesin/pseudoephedrine is used for the temporary relief of nose/sinus/ear congestion and cough with phlegm caused by the common cold, allergies, or infection. Pseudoephedrine is called a sympathomimetic and works by decreasing swelling of nose and ear tissues and opening nose passages. Guaifenesin is called an expectorant. It works by making phlegm in the breathing tubes more liquid. This helps the cough to clear phlegm better.

This combination medication is used to relieve coughs caused by the common cold, bronchitis, and other breathing illnesses. Guaifenesin belongs to a class of drugs known as expectorants. It works by thinning and loosening mucus in the airways, clearing congestion, and making breathing easier. Dextromethorphan belongs to a class of drugs known as cough suppressants. It acts on a part of the brain (cough center) to reduce the urge to cough.

This combination product is used to temporarily treat cough and stuffy nose symptoms caused by the common cold, flu, or other breathing illnesses (e.g., sinusitis, bronchitis). Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant. It affects a certain part of the brain (cough center) to help you stop coughing. This product also contains a decongestant, which helps relieve stuffy nose symptoms.

Zanamivir is used to treat symptoms caused by the flu virus (influenza) in adults and children 7 and older. It helps make the symptoms (e.g., stuffy nose, cough, sore throat, fever/chills, aches, tiredness) less severe and shortens the recovery time by about 1 day.

Amantadine is used to prevent or treat a certain type of flu (influenza A). If you have been infected with the flu, this medication may help make your symptoms less severe and shorten the time it will take you to get better. Taking amantadine if you have been or will be exposed to the flu may help to prevent you from getting the flu. This medication is an antiviral that is believed to work by stopping growth of the flu virus. This medication is not a vaccine. To increase the chance that you will not get the flu, it is important to get a flu shot once a year at the beginning of every flu season, if possible.

Rimantadine is used to prevent or treat a certain type of flu virus (influenza A). If you have been infected with the flu, this medication may help make your symptoms less severe and shorten the time it will take you to get better. Taking rimantadine if you have been or will be exposed to the flu may help to prevent you from getting the flu. This medication is an antiviral that is believed to work by stopping the growth of the flu virus. This medication is not a vaccine. To increase the chance that you will not get the flu, it is important to get a flu shot once a year at the beginning of every flu season, if possible.

Oseltamivir is used to treat symptoms caused by the flu virus (influenza). It helps make the symptoms (e.g., stuffy nose, cough, sore throat, fever/chills, aches, tiredness) less severe and shortens the recovery time by 1-2 days. This medication is also used to prevent the flu if you have been exposed to someone who already has the flu (e.g., sick household member).