[Self-medication of the common cold]

Self-medication can be useful in the multisymptomatic management of the common cold and other preferentially non-febrile flu-like symptoms, especially as at present multicomponent remedies are available, which may make self-medication significantly easier with consequent better compliance of adult patients. Children, on the contrary, are not suitable acceptants of self-medication mediated by their parents because the sickness exhibits in children nearly exclusively febrile progress. The procedure of the therapy to be really effective and safe must be necessarily concentrated into pharmacies, where safety and efficacy of therapy are ensured by the pharmacist as the last link of contact between the patient and the drug. Any other distribution of the OTC drugs is therefore strictly unacceptable. Patients suffering from the common cold usually exhibit simultaneously various symptoms of the disease. These different symptoms are, however, experienced during the day with different intensity. During the day and often also in the course of the labour process there is a need to concentrate on the most bothersome symptoms, notably the relief of the nasal congestion with the exploration of the safest and most effective drug, such as pseudoephedrine. In addition, it is necessary to administer an effective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, preferably ibuprofen, which provides relief from symptoms caused by release of inflammatory mediators. In the night time there is a need of a multisymptom therapy which may relieve cough and any other disturbing cold symptoms to allow satisfactory beneficial, continuous, and refreshing sleep.