One of the most common remedies that doctors usually prescribe in case of mucus, either in the chest or in the nose, is acetylcysteinethe name of the main compound of Fluimucil.
Either in its 600mg Forte format or in its 200mg format, these effervescent tablets are not completely harmless and, like any medication, they have their side effects. They are not serious, but they can occur.
Los infrequent (affecting up to 1 in 100 people) are hypersensitivity, headache, tinnitus, tachycardia, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomatitis, abdominal pain, nausea, urticaria, rash, angioedema, pruritus, increased body temperature, hypotension .
Los rare side effects (affecting 1 in 1,000 patients) are sleepiness, bronchospasm, respiratory distress, digestive discomfort. The very rare (1 in 10,000 patients) have allergic reactions, anaphylactic shock, bleeding, severe skin reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome and Lyell syndrome, sometimes identified with at least one other drug being taken simultaneously.
At an unknown frequency, because it has not been estimated based on the available data, swelling of the face may also occur. The general recommendation in case of any alteration in the skin or mucous membranes is to immediately stop the medication.
Beware of intolerances and allergies
To these effects we must add those that come from compounds that are added to acetylcysteine, such as aspartame. This contains a source of phenylalanine that can be harmful in case of suffering from phenylketonuria (Phenylketonuria), a rare genetic disease in which phenylalanine accumulates because the body is not able to eliminate it correctly.
The 157.9 mg of sodium that each tablet has represents 7.9% of the maximum recommended daily intake in an adult, so it is critical in people who must maintain low salt dietsas well as the glucose, which can affect those who have an intolerance to some sugars. Finally, the presence of sulfites can produce severe allergic reaction o one bronchospasm.