Delcof Syrup

Composition of Delcof Syrup

Delcof Syrup contains Guaiphenesin (50mg/5ml) + Levosalbutamol (1mg/5ml) + Ambroxol hydrochloride (30mg/5ml). It belongs to the Expectorant / mucolytic / bronchodilator and Inhaled bronchodilator / corticosteroid class of medicines.

Uses of Delcof Syrup

• This medicine is used in the treatment of cough
• chest congestion
• common cold symptoms
• asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Key benefits

• Eases a chesty cough
• Helps clear congestion
• Acts directly in the lungs with minimal effect elsewhere
• Prevents attacks when used daily as a preventer
• Portable and fast acting

How Delcof Syrup works

This medicine combines 3 active ingredients: Guaifenesin, Levosalbutamol and Ambroxol. Guaifenesin loosens and thins the mucus in your airways so a cough clears it more easily, and eases the tightness that comes with congestion. Levosalbutamol is breathed straight into the lungs, where it opens the airways and reduces the swelling inside them, so less of the medicine reaches the rest of the body. Ambroxol loosens and thins the mucus in your airways so a cough clears it more easily, and eases the tightness that comes with congestion.

How to take Delcof Syrup

Shake the bottle well before each dose and measure it with the cup, spoon or dropper supplied — a kitchen spoon is not an accurate measure. Take it with or after food. Follow the dose and the duration written on your prescription.

Take it exactly as your doctor prescribed. Do not change the dose or stop early on your own.

Missed dose and overdose

If you miss a dose

Take it as soon as you remember. If your next dose is almost due, skip the one you missed — never take two doses together to catch up.

If you take too much

An overdose of this medicine can cause vomiting, severe drowsiness, a racing heart and, with codeine, dangerously slow breathing. It can cause a racing heart, marked tremor, headache and a fall in blood potassium. Do not wait for symptoms to appear — go to the nearest emergency department and take the pack or strip with you.

Side effects of Delcof Syrup

Most side effects of Delcof are mild and settle as the body adjusts. Reported side effects include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Stomach upset
• Drowsiness
• Tremor
• Fast heartbeat
• Throat irritation
• Hoarse voice
• Oral thrush
• Headache

Stop the medicine and seek help immediately for a rash, swelling of the face or lips, wheezing or difficulty breathing. Tell your doctor about any side effect that persists or worries you.

Safety advice for Delcof Syrup

Warnings and precautions

See a doctor if a cough lasts more than a week, or comes with fever, breathlessness, chest pain or blood in the sputum. Do not give cough and cold preparations to young children except on a doctor's advice. Do not combine two cough preparations — they frequently contain the same ingredients, and the doses add up. Preparations containing codeine can cause dependence and must be used only for the period your doctor specifies. Know which of your inhalers is the reliever and which is the preventer. A preventer must be used every day even when you feel well; a reliever is for symptoms. Seek emergency care if your reliever is not working, if you cannot speak a full sentence, or if you are using the reliever far more often than usual. Rinse your mouth with water and spit it out after every steroid inhaler dose to prevent thrush and hoarseness. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to watch your technique — poor technique is the commonest reason an inhaler seems not to work. Use a spacer if one has been advised, particularly for children.

Do not take Delcof if

Not for anyone with a known allergy to this medicine or to any ingredient in the pack. Codeine-containing preparations are not for children, or for anyone with breathing difficulty. Not for anyone with a known allergy to the propellant used in the inhaler.

Interactions with other medicines

Sedating ingredients add to the effect of alcohol and sleeping tablets. Decongestants such as phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine can raise blood pressure — tell your doctor if you are hypertensive. Beta blockers, including eye drops for glaucoma, can tighten the airways and reduce the effect of your reliever.

How to store Delcof Syrup

Store below 30°C, away from direct sunlight. Do not freeze. Once opened, use it within the period printed on the pack. Keep out of the reach of children.

Expert advice for Delcof Syrup

Drink plenty of water — it thins mucus better than any syrup. Steam inhalation helps congestion and costs nothing. Measure the dose with the cup supplied. Keep a spare reliever and check the counter so you are not caught with an empty one. Follow your written asthma action plan if you have one. Do not stop a preventer because you feel better — that is the medicine working.

Manufacturer and class

Manufacturer:

ELANCE HEALTH CARE

Therapeutic class:

Cough and cold preparation and Anti-asthmatic

Drug class:

Expectorant / mucolytic / bronchodilator and Inhaled bronchodilator / corticosteroid