Aspirin plus Pseudoephedrine (Aspirin Complex) for the Treatment of Symptoms of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection

Abstract

Upper respiratory tract infections or common colds are a multi-symptom disease which is usually symptomatically treated with fixed dose multi-active ingredient medicinal products which are commonly used as non-prescription and over the counter. However, the active ingredients combined require a particular and clinically sound justification. Analgesics and decongestant can be combined to treat simultaneously the prominent symptoms cold-related pain (e.g. headache, muscle aches and pains), fever, inflammationand nasal/sinus congestion. This overview provides a summary of the evidence supporting the combination of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) and pseudoephedrine available in the common cold product Aspirin® Complex.