{"id":17243,"date":"2020-12-01T09:00:20","date_gmt":"2020-12-01T14:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=17243"},"modified":"2025-10-20T15:02:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T19:02:22","slug":"prescription-cough-medicine-december","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/prescription-cough-medicine-december\/","title":{"rendered":"The most popular drugs on SingleCare in December"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cold and flu season starts heating up in December. Noses run, throats get scratchy, chests get congested and\u2014ahem\u2014coughs are born.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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According to <\/span>research<\/span><\/a>, a cough is the most common symptom for which people seek out medical care. And past Decembers were no exception.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the last month of each year, the most commonly prescribed drugs for which a SingleCare card was used were typically <\/span>prescription cough medicines<\/span><\/a>. The top five included:<\/span><\/p>\n

A cough can be a sign of COVID-19. If you think you may have been exposed, call your healthcare provider.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
The most popular cough medications on SingleCare in December <\/span><\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Medication<\/b><\/span><\/td>\nGet coupon<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1. Benzonatate<\/span><\/td>\nGet coupon<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2. Bromphen\/pseudoephedrine HCL\/dextromethorphan HBR<\/span><\/td>\nGet coupon<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3. Promethazine\/dextromethorphan<\/span><\/td>\nGet coupon<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4. Promethazine\/codeine<\/span><\/td>\nGet coupon<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5. Codeine\/guaifenesin<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nGet coupon<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

There\u2019s a long list of upper and lower respiratory infections that cause coughs. In addition to <\/span>flu and colds<\/span><\/a> there\u2019s <\/span>respiratory syncytial virus<\/span><\/a> (RSV)\u2014a common and contagious respiratory infection that primarily affects young children\u2014<\/span>pneumonia<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>bronchitis<\/span><\/a>, and this year the novel coronavirus known as <\/span>COVID-19<\/span><\/a>, among others. And while any of these conditions can occur at any time of year, they\u2019re more likely to be circulating when the weather turns cold.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Wintertime in the pharmacy is extremely hectic\u2014patients are continuously coming in with bacterial infections; the seasonal flu; common cold; allergies; and this year, COVID,” says Karen Berger<\/a>, Pharm.D., community pharmacist and member of the SingleCare Medical Review Board. \u201cThe cold, dry air can make coughs even worse in the winter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Single-ingredient cough medicines<\/span><\/h2>\n

Benzonatate<\/span><\/h3>\n

According to SingleCare data, this was by far the most common cough medicine for which a SingleCare card was used. <\/span>Benzonatate<\/span><\/a> (brand name Tessalon Perles) numbs the throat and lungs, helping to suppress the coughing reflex. Three important things to keep in mind:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Never suck or chew on a benzonatate capsule. Doing so can cause nausea, dizziness, and other serious complications.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Don\u2019t eat or drink with throat numbness. You could choke. Wait until any numbness or tingling subsides.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Don\u2019t give benzonatate to children under 10.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Multi-ingredient cough medications<\/span><\/h2>\n

    It\u2019s not uncommon for cough medicines to be combined with drugs that treat additional symptoms, such as stuffy noses and itchy, watery eyes. And these combination cough medicines were also frequently prescribed to SingleCare card users last December.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Bromphen\/pseudoephedrine HCL\/dextromethorphan HBR\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

    The generic version is <\/span>Bromfed DM<\/span><\/a>. It contains three medications that work together to fight cold symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n