Xylometazoline is a similar agent and studies to date indicate that it is has similar effects. The short-acting drugs naphazoline and tetrahydrozoline can stimulate the central nervous system and cause changes in blood pressure. In general, products with these ingredients should be avoided unless nothing else works. Phenylephrine is also short-acting but does not stimulate the nervous system. Oral decongestants also come in many brands and contain pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine, or phenylpropanolamine.
Pseudoephedrine has fewer stimulating effects than others.
Phenylpropanolamine is a stimulant and may cause changes in blood pressure. The patient should spray each nostril once, wait a minute to allow absorption into the mucosal tissues, and then spray again. This procedure is repeated again in four hours with drugs containing pseudoephedrine and every 12 hours with those containing oxymetazoline. All forms of nasal decongestants may dry out the affected areas and damage tissues. Keeping the area moist is very important to prevent this.