Naphthyzine, a nasal decongestant medication, can be fatal when used in children. Svetlana Marnova, an otolaryngologist at the DocMed Clinic, told socialbites.ca.
Naphthyzine can cause bradycardia, a slowing of the heart rate, and depression of the respiratory center in children. The child falls asleep and does not wake up. The form of nasal drops is especially dangerous: they are easy to overdose. Nasal sprays are much safer because each injection contains the same dose of active ingredient. Marnova stated that naphthysine is not used in the treatment of children under the age of 12 in the USA and some countries due to the risk of death.
Additionally, naphthyzine and other vasoconstrictors can cause convulsions, cardiac arrhythmias, headaches, and addiction; In this case, the person has to use these medications constantly due to difficulty in breathing through the nose. These problems are common in adults, but children are more vulnerable.
The doctor added that hypertonic solutions with high salt content can be used instead of vasoconstrictor drugs. They also relieve swelling of the nasal mucosa, making breathing easier, but they are much less likely to cause unwanted reactions.
used to be a doctor saidIn these cases, nasal drops are dangerous for the heart.