Intranasal alpha-adrenergic receptor agonists and corticosteroids as medical treatments for nasal congestion

Abstract

Nasal congestion has been a longstanding issue which exerts burdens on both individual patients and society as a whole. It arises from various underlying illnesses like nasal polyposis, rhinosinusitis, allergic rhinitis and rhinitis medicamentosa, but the fundamental mechanism of induced nasal congestion is nasal mucosas swelling as a result of inflammation in all of these cases. Among all the therapies currently available, intranasal sprays of alpha-adrenergic receptor agonists or corticosteroids appeared to be prominent options. After reviewing research on treatments extensively, limited studies focused on the comparison of -adrenergic agonists and corticosteroids. This research explores the mechanisms, efficacy, and safety of these two medical approaches. Intranasal alpha-adrenergic receptor agonist sprays target the smooth muscles for vasoconstriction, acting rapidly to give way to airflow. They are effective as a treatment for short-term nasal congestion, otherwise, continued use may lead to rhinitis medicamentosa. Corticosteroid sprays, on the other hand, aim to reduce the severity of nasal inflammation via suppression of pro-inflammatory molecules. They are a promising treatment barely with concerns about the occurrence of side effects, authenticated by their excellent pharmaceutical performance over years.