Alternating sympathomimetic therapy for the treatment of respiratory ailments

1. A regimen for the alleviation of a condition which comprises nasal congestion, wherein the regimen comprises administering to a subject in need thereof one or more first dosage units which comprise at least one of pseudoephedrine and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in an amount which is sufficient to maintain a therapeutically effective plasma level of pseudoephedrine for a first period, and subsequently administering to the subject one or more second dosage units which are different from the first dosage units and comprise at least one of phenylephrine and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in an amount which is sufficient to maintain a therapeutically effective plasma level of phenylephrine for a second period, the first and second dosage units being administered such that there is substantially no gap between the first and second periods.

2. The regimen of claim 1 , wherein there is substantially no overlap between the first and second periods.

3. The regimen of claim 1 , wherein the first period and the second period together are about 24 hours long.

4. The regimen of claim 1 , wherein the first period is from about 12 hours to about 16 hours long.

5. The regimen of claim 1 , wherein a one-time administration of the one or more first dosage units is sufficient to maintain a therapeutically effective plasma level of pseudoephedrine over the entire first period.

6. The regimen of claim 5 , wherein a one-time administration of the one or more second dosage units is sufficient to maintain a therapeutically effective plasma level of phenylephrine over the entire second period.

7. The regimen of claim 1 , wherein the first period substantially coincides with a period during which the subject intends to be awake and the second period substantially coincides with a period during which the subject intends to be asleep.

8. The regimen of claim 1 , wherein the administration of the one or more first dosage units and the subsequent administration of the one or more second dosage units is repeated at least once.

9. The regimen of claim 1 , wherein a minimum therapeutically effective plasma level of pseudoephedrine is not substantially exceeded over the entire first period.

10. The regimen of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second dosage units further comprises at least one additional active ingredient.

11. The regimen of claim 10 , wherein the at least one additional active ingredient comprises one or more of an antihistamine, a cough suppressant, an expectorant, an analgesic and an anti-inflammatory agent.

12. The regimen of claim 10 , wherein the first and second dosage units each independently further comprise at least one additional active ingredient which comprises one or more of an antihistamine, a cough suppressant, an expectorant, an analgesic and an anti-inflammatory agent.

13. The regimen of claim 10 , wherein a period of a therapeutic plasma level of the at least one additional active ingredient overlaps with at least about 70% of the first period or of the second period.

14. The regimen of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first dosage units are free of phenylephrine and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and the one or more second dosage units are free of pseudoephedrine and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

15. A regimen for the alleviation of a condition which comprises nasal congestion, wherein the regimen comprises administering to a subject in need thereof one or more first dosage units which comprise at least one of pseudoephedrine and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and at least one additional active ingredient selected from antihistamines, cough suppressants, expectorants, analgesics and anti-inflammatory agents, the amount of the one or more first dosage units being sufficient to maintain a therapeutically effective plasma level of pseudoephedrine for a first period, and subsequently administering to the subject one or more second dosage units which comprise at least one of phenylephrine and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and at least one additional active ingredient selected from antihistamines, cough suppressants, expectorants, analgesics and anti-inflammatory agents, the amount of the one or more second dosage units being sufficient to maintain a therapeutically effective plasma level of phenylephrine for a second period, wherein the first and second dosage units are administered such that there is substantially no overlap and substantially no gap between the first and second periods and wherein the administration of the one or more first dosage units and the subsequent administration of the one or more second dosage units is repeated at least once.

16. The regimen of claim 15 , wherein the one or more first dosage units are free of phenylephrine and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and the one or more second dosage units are free of pseudoephedrine and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

17. The regimen of claim 15 , wherein the first period substantially coincides with a period during which the subject intends to be awake and the second period substantially coincides with a period during which the subject intends to be asleep.

18. The regimen of claim 15 , wherein a minimum therapeutically effective plasma level of pseudoephedrine is not substantially exceeded over the entire first period.

19. The regimen of claim 1 , wherein the first and second dosage units are different from each other and at least one of the first and second dosage units at least one of (i) comprises an antihistamine, (ii) is free of an expectorant and (iii) is free of a cough suppressant.

20. The regimen of claim 19 , wherein the first dosage units may further comprise one or more additional active ingredients which are selected from chlorpheniramine, promethazine, carbetapentane, codeine and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and/or the second dosage units may further comprise one or more additional active ingredients which are selected from chlorpheniramine, dexchlorpheniramine, carbinoxamine, hydrocodone, codeine, guaifenesin and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.