Patient/caregiver was instructed upon therapeutic uses and mechanism of action of Guaifenesin as follows:
- Guaifenesin is an expectorant that helps loosen thick mucus in the respiratory tract and promotes coughing it up.
- Thick viscous mucus in the respiratory tract, if not coughed up, can get accumulated and precipitate chest infections.
- Guaifenesin helps with increasing the fluid content in the mucus. This contributes to reducing the viscosity of the mucus and thereby, thins the mucus.
- This thinning reduces the surface tension of the mucus, which reduces the adhesiveness of the mucus to the surfaces of the respiratory passage and helps with moving the mucus secretions.
- The hairy cilia along the respiratory tract will promote moving the thinned secretions out and help to cough them up.
- By clearing the obstructed airways of the mucus, Guaifenesin helps with reducing the shortness of breath and effort of breathing.
- Thus Guaifenesin, by making the cough more productive, prevents accumulation of mucus secretions in the respiratory passages and consequently, prevents development of any chest infections.
