Jove
Visualize
Contact Us

Related Concept Videos

Drugs Used in Upper Respiratory Disorders: Overview01:16

Drugs Used in Upper Respiratory Disorders: Overview

Upper respiratory tract disorders, including viral infections and allergic rhinitis, cause significant discomfort and disrupt daily life. Managing these conditions involves a variety of drugs, such as antihistamines, intranasal steroids, decongestants, antitussives, expectorants, and mucolytics. Specific examples of drugs in each category are provided.
Antihistamines (e.g., Benadryl) block histamines from binding. Histamines are chemicals released during an allergic reaction in the body. As a...
Upper Respiratory Drugs: Antitussives, Expectorants, and Mucolytics01:23

Upper Respiratory Drugs: Antitussives, Expectorants, and Mucolytics

Respiratory symptoms, such as congestion and cough, commonly accompany respiratory tract conditions. Various medications, such as antitussives, expectorants, and mucolytics, play crucial roles in providing relief.
Antitussives include codeine, dextromethorphan (Robitussin), and benzonatate (Tessalon). Codeine and dextromethorphan exert their effects centrally by suppressing the cough reflex center in the medulla.  Benzonatate operates peripherally within the respiratory tract by anesthetizing...
Antiasthma Drugs: Muscarinic Receptor Antagonists01:20

Antiasthma Drugs: Muscarinic Receptor Antagonists

Muscarinic receptor antagonists, also known as antimuscarinic agents, are a class of bronchodilators used to treat asthma, although they are more commonly used to treat COPD. They work by inhibiting the action of acetylcholine (ACh), a neurotransmitter, on muscarinic receptors found in the airways.
Antimuscarinic agents compete with ACh for the same binding site on the muscarinic receptors. By binding to these receptors, they inhibit the downstream effects of ACh and block the parasympathetic...
Drugs Used in Lower Respiratory Disorders: Overview01:17

Drugs Used in Lower Respiratory Disorders: Overview

Lower respiratory tract disorders present challenges that often require skilled and nuanced approaches for effective management. Common ailments, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), have prompted the development of intricate treatment strategies involving bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory drugs, each tailored to ease breathing and revitalize the lungs.
Bronchodilators, the first step of respiration enhancement, come in various forms, each with its own mechanism...
COPD: Management Using Bronchodilators and Corticosteroids01:26

COPD: Management Using Bronchodilators and Corticosteroids

Chronic obstructive pulmonary isease (COPD) involves a group of progressive lung disorders characterized by persistent airflow limitation and chronic respiratory symptoms. Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome (ACOS), encompassing features of both asthma and Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is a group of progressive lung disorders that includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and refractory (non-reversible) asthma. ACOS leads to complex clinical presentations that combine the inflammatory...
Antiasthma Drugs: β2-Adrenoceptor Agonists01:25

Antiasthma Drugs: β2-Adrenoceptor Agonists

Bronchodilators are critical in managing asthma, a chronic respiratory condition characterized by airway constriction due to inflammation and hyper-reactivity. Specifically, bronchodilators ease this constriction by relaxing the bronchial muscles, facilitating easier breathing.
One class of bronchodilators includes β2-adrenoceptor agonists. These agents target the β2-adrenoceptors located on bronchial smooth muscle cells. By stimulating these receptors, β2-agonists induce relaxation in these...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Distinct Metabolic Signatures Linked to High-Resolution Computed Tomography Radiographic Phenotypes in Stable and Progressive Fibrotic Lung Disease.

Metabolites·2026
Same author

Metabolomic profiling reveals distinct lipid signatures in progressive versus stable fibrotic lung disease.

Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society·2025
Same author

Risk benefit analysis to evaluate risk of thromboembolic events after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination and COVID-19.

NPJ vaccines·2024
Same author

Static Respiratory System Compliance as a Predictor of Extubation Failure in Patients with Acute Respiratory Failure.

Lung·2023
Same author

Impact of a structured reporting template on the quality of HRCT radiology reports for interstitial lung disease.

Clinical imaging·2023
Same author

SARS-COV-ATE risk assessment model for arterial thromboembolism in COVID-19.

Scientific reports·2022
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 22, 2026

Rapid Viscoelastic Characterization of Airway Mucus Using a Benchtop Rheometer
08:47

Rapid Viscoelastic Characterization of Airway Mucus Using a Benchtop Rheometer

Published on: April 21, 2022

Pharmacologic agents for mucus clearance in bronchiectasis.

Girish B Nair1, Jonathan S Ilowite

  • 1Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY, USA.

Clinics in Chest Medicine
|May 30, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Currently, no medications are approved to improve mucus clearance in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Research is exploring hyperosmolar agents and mucokinetics, but their efficacy in this condition remains under investigation.

More Related Videos

Ginger Moxibustion, A Non-pharmacological Treatment, for Diarrhea in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
03:25

Ginger Moxibustion, A Non-pharmacological Treatment, for Diarrhea in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Published on: December 27, 2024

In vivo Evaluation of Mucociliary Clearance in Mice
06:35

In vivo Evaluation of Mucociliary Clearance in Mice

Published on: December 18, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 22, 2026

Rapid Viscoelastic Characterization of Airway Mucus Using a Benchtop Rheometer
08:47

Rapid Viscoelastic Characterization of Airway Mucus Using a Benchtop Rheometer

Published on: April 21, 2022

Ginger Moxibustion, A Non-pharmacological Treatment, for Diarrhea in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
03:25

Ginger Moxibustion, A Non-pharmacological Treatment, for Diarrhea in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Published on: December 27, 2024

In vivo Evaluation of Mucociliary Clearance in Mice
06:35

In vivo Evaluation of Mucociliary Clearance in Mice

Published on: December 18, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonology
  • Pharmacology
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis lacks approved pharmacologic treatments for enhancing mucus clearance.
  • Existing evidence supports hyperosmolar agents in cystic fibrosis, with ongoing trials for inhaled mannitol and hypertonic saline in bronchiectasis.
  • N-acetylcysteine's role may be more antioxidant than mucolytic in other lung diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current landscape of pharmacologic agents for mucus clearance in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.
  • To evaluate the potential utility of hyperosmolar agents, N-acetylcysteine, dornase alfa, and mucokinetic agents in this patient population.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and evidence synthesis.
  • Analysis of existing studies and clinical trial data for relevant pharmacologic agents.

Main Results:

  • No approved pharmacologic agents specifically for mucus clearance in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.
  • Hyperosmolar agents (mannitol, hypertonic saline) show promise, with ongoing investigations.
  • Dornase alfa is not effective in non-CF bronchiectasis; N-acetylcysteine's primary role may be antioxidant.
  • Mucokinetic agents (e.g., beta-agonists) require further study in bronchiectasis.

Conclusions:

  • Pharmacologic options for mucus clearance in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis are limited.
  • Further research is needed to establish the efficacy and safety of agents like hyperosmolar therapies and mucokinetics.
  • Current evidence does not support the use of dornase alfa or primarily mucolytic N-acetylcysteine in this condition.