“Stop using it immediately” if you have this symptom, warns the ANSM

When will they be permanently banned? This is the question we ask ourselves while reading the letter sent by the National Agency for Medicines (ANSM) on February 12 to general practitioners, allergists, ENT doctors, pharmacists, neurologists, emergency doctors and pulmonologists. In this letter, the authority informs the health professionals New contradictions And warnings have been added to package inserts for drugs containing pseudoephedrine. Caused by cases of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) and reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS), which Serious conditions affecting the blood vessels of the brain

. As a reminder, pseudo-ephedrine, alone or in combination with other substances, is authorized to prevent blocked nose or blocked sinuses. common coldRhinitis AllergicVasomotor rhinitis or barotraumatic otitis.

“Thunderclap” headache

Symptoms of these serious adverse brain reactions appear acutely, in hours or days which follows the catch. These include sudden and severe headache, nausea, vomiting, confusion, seizures and/or visual disturbances. But above all, in cases of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, a “thunderclap” headache occurs. This is characterized by severe pain The head reaches for it Peak in secondsUsually bilateral (both sides), with posterior onset (behind the head) followed by pain diffuse Frequent nausea, with photophobia (difficulty tolerating light) and phonophobia (difficulty tolerating sound). “Patients should be counseled about the needStop using these medicines immediately

and seek medical attention if signs or symptoms of PRES or RCVS appear.” The health agency suggests that it recommends against the use of pseudo-ephedrine-based medicines in case of colds. Although most cases resolved after discontinuation of treatment and there were no deaths, the ANSM recalls that major complications of RCVS syndrome include ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. In conclusion, she believes that “Newly identified risks of PRES or RCVS should be considered as part of the overall safety profile of pseudoephedrine, including Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ischemic events“.