Pronunciation: DEX-troe-meth-OR-fan HIGH-droe-BROE-mide
Class: Nonnarcotic antitussive

Trade Names

Buckleys Cough
- Liquid, oral 12.5 mg/5 mL

Creomulsion
- Syrup, oral 20 mg/15 mL
- Syrup, oral 5 mg/5 mL

Creo-Terpin
- Liquid, oral 10 mg/15 mL

Delsym
- Liquid, ER, oral dextromethorphan polistirex equivalent to dextromethorphan hydrobromide 30 mg/5 mL

Diabetes CF
- Syrup, oral 10 mg/5 mL

ElixSure Cough
- Liquid, oral 7.5 mg/5 mL

Father John's Medicine
- Syrup, oral 10 mg/5 mL

Hold DM
- Lozenges 5 mg

Little Colds Cough Formula
- Liquid, oral 7.5 mg/mL

Long-Acting Cough Suppressant
- Liquid, oral 15 mg/5 mL

Pediacare Children's Long-Acting
- Liquid, oral 7.5 mg/5 mL

Robafen Cough
- Capsules, oral 15 mg

Robitussin Children's Cough LA
- Syrup, oral 7.5 mg/5 mL

Robitussin Cough Gels
- Capsules, oral 15 mg

Robitussin Maximum Strength
- Syrup, oral 15 mg/5 mL

Silphen DM
- Syrup 10 mg/5 mL

Simply Cough
- Syrup, oral 5 mg/5 mL

St. Joseph Cough Suppressant
- Liquid 7.5 mg/5 mL

Sucrets DM
- Lozenges 10 mg

Sucrets DM Cough
- Lozenges 10 mg

Triaminic Long Acting Cough
- Liquid, oral 7.5 mg/5 mL
- Strip, oral 7.5 mg

Trocal
- Lozenges 7.5 mg

Tussin Cough
- Capsules, oral 15 mg
- Syrup, oral 15 mg/5 mL

Vick's DayQuil
- Liquid, oral 15 mg/15 mL

Vick's Formula 44 Cough Relief
- Liquid, oral 30 mg/15 mL

Balminil DM (Canada)
Balminil DM Children (Canada)
Benylin DM (Canada)
Benylin DM for Children (Canada)
Koffex DM (Canada)
Robitussin Children's (Canada)
Robitussin DM CoughGels (Canada)

Pharmacology

Suppresses cough by central action on cough center in medulla.

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Pharmacokinetics

Absorption

Rapidly absorbed.

Metabolism

Metabolized in the liver.

Elimination

Excreted in the urine as unchanged drug and demethylated metabolites.

Indications and Usage

Management of nonproductive cough.

Contraindications

None well documented.

Dosage and Administration

Gelcaps
Adults and Children (12 y and older)

PO 30 mg every 6 to 8 h (max, 120 mg/day).

Lozenges
Adults and children (12 y and older)

PO 5 to 15 mg every 1 to 4 h (max, 120 mg/day).

Children (6 to younger than 12 y)

PO 5 to 10 mg every 1 to 4 h (max, 60 mg/day).

Liquid and syrup
Adults and Children (12 y and older)

PO 10 to 20 mg every 4 h or 30 mg every 6 to 8 h (max, 120 mg/day).

Children (6 to younger than 12 y)

PO 15 mg every 6 to 8 h (max, 60 mg/day).

Children (2 to younger than 6 y)

PO 7.5 mg every 6 to 8 h (max, 30 mg/day).

Delsym
Adults and Children (12 y and older)

PO 60 mg every 12 h (max, 120 mg/day).

Children (6 to younger than 12 y)

PO 30 mg every 12 h (max, 60 mg/day).

Children (2 to younger than 6 y)

PO 15 mg every 12 h (max, 30 mg/day).

Long Acting Cough Suppressant
Adults and Children (12 y and older)

PO 30 mg every 6 to 8 h (max, 120 mg/day).

Children (6 to younger than 12 y)

PO 15 mg every 6 to 8 h (max, 60 mg/day).

Storage/Stability

Store at room temperature.

Drug Interactions

MAOIs

Hypotension, hyperpyrexia, nausea, myoclonic jerks, and coma may develop after coadministration.

Adverse Reactions

Nausea, drowsiness, dizziness.

Precautions

Pregnancy

Category C .

Lactation

Undetermined.

Children

Do not use long-acting cough suppressant in children younger than 6 y.

Chronic cough

Do not use for persistent or chronic cough (eg, smoking, asthma, emphysema) or when cough is accompanied by excessive secretions. People with high fever, rash, persistent headache, nausea, or vomiting should use only under medical supervision.

Drug abuse and dependence

Anecdotal reports of abuse have increased. However, abuse and dependency potential is undetermined.

Overdosage

Symptoms

Ataxia, respiratory depression, convulsions (children); altered sensory perception, dysphoria, slurred speech (adults).

Patient Information

• Alert patient that many products contain alcohol.
• Instruct patient to notify health care provider before taking medication with other prescriptions (eg, MAOIs).
• Inform diabetic patients that base may contain sucrose or other sugars.
• Encourage increased fluid intake to thin secretions.
• Teach patients how to cough and breathe deeply to maximize respiratory efforts.
• Explain to parents not to give lozenges to young children.

Copyright © 2009 Wolters Kluwer Health.