Commonly used expectorants for phlegm are ammonium chloride, guaifenesin, carbocysteine, acetylcysteine, ambroxol, etc. However, phlegm is often caused by a variety of diseases, and it is not possible to generalize what medicines to take.
Expectorants can be categorized into those that dilute phlegm and those that dissolve phlegm. Ammonium chloride, potassium iodide and guaifenesin are all phlegm-thinning drugs that can be used for those who cannot easily cough up phlegm. Carbocisteine, acetylcysteine and tranylcypromine are sputum-dissolving drugs, which are mostly used for patients who have difficulty breathing due to thick phlegm.
Phlegm is caused by respiratory tract infections, the use of expectorant drugs can not effectively improve the symptoms, the need for pathogenic bacteria, the rational choice of antibiotics, supplemented by the phlegm medication for symptomatic treatment; due to chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis, etc., but also the need to use the expansion of the bronchial tube of the drug such as doxorubicin, etc., and the need to use hormones, such as prednisone and other necessary treatments.
There are many other diseases that cause phlegm, you can’t just take phlegm medication on your own, you need to find out the cause of the disease in time, according to the actual situation of the reasonable use of medication.