These drugs decrease the cough reflex.
- Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) – Schedule II
- Hydrocodone (Hycodan) – Schedule III
- Codeine (Robitussin AC) – Schedule V
- Dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM) – OTC
The problem with cough medications: In addition to antitussives being found in cough medications, there are also expectorants in it, like Robitussin which has guaifenesin. An expectorant is a drug that causes the loosening up of mucus in the respiratory tract so you could cough it out or ciliary action will take it out. But once you add an antitussive to the product, it stops the coughing, which makes it harder to get rid of the mucus. So what’s the point? The only way to get pure expectoration is to take something like Mucinex that has an expectorant but no antitussive.
