Intranasal Decongestants Research Articles

Rhinitis and asthma connection: management of coexisting upper airway allergic diseases and asthma.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lower airways. Epidemiologic surveys and clinical reports have documented that allergic rhinitis coexists with asthma in many patients. Provocative bronchial challenge with allergens responsible for allergic rhinitis in susceptible asthma patients can elicit asthma, and these responses have been linked to bronchial airway hyperreactivity. Provocative bronchial methacholine challenge in allergic rhinitis patients will demonstrate increased airway responsiveness to the bronchial challenge in 30% of those allergic rhinitis patients who had no past history of asthma. These data suggest that subclinical asthma may be present in certain patients with allergic rhinitis. The focus of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) guidelines for the pharmacologic treatment of asthma focuses on medications to relieve the symptoms of asthma, i.e., bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory agents (i.e., inhaled corticosteroids, cromolyn, and leukotriene modifiers) to control asthma. Avoidance of allergens such as house dust mite are also recommended. Although not emphasized in these NHLBI guidelines, recent studies have observed that treatments, including intranasal steroid, cromolyn, antihistamines, and decongestants, which provide relief of nasal symptoms in patients with both allergic rhinitis and asthma, will also improve the pulmonary symptoms of allergic asthma. This article will review the recent literature.

Cow’s Milk Allergy in Infants

Allergic rhinitis is a highly prevalent disease affecting the quality of life of millions of North Americans. The management of allergic rhinitis includes allergen avoidance, pharmacotherapy, and immunotherapy. Current pharmacologic options include oral and intranasal antihistamines, intranasal corticosteroids, oral and intranasal decongestants, oral and intranasal anticholinergics, and leukotriene receptor antagonists. Second-generation oral antihistamines and intranasal corticosteroids are the mainstays of treatment, with practice guidelines recommending intranasal corticosteroids as first-line treatment for moderate to severe allergic rhinitis.Clinical trials studying a widely used intranasal corticosteroid, fluticasone propionate, in comparison with second-generation oral antihistamines, cetirizine, loratadine, or montelukast, were selected to support the comparative review of the efficacy and tolerability of these 2 classes of medications. Studies evaluating the combination of fluticasone propionate with an oral antihistamine were also included to review the efficacy and tolerability of combination therapy to treat allergic rhinitis.Studies comparing fluticasone propionate with cetirizine had mixed findings; fluticasone propionate was found to have equal or greater efficacy in reducing nasal symptom scores. Combination therapy of fluticasone propionate and the oral antihistamine, loratadine, was found to have efficacy comparable with that of intranasal corticosteroid alone.Many of these medications are available over the counter in the pharmacy, and the community pharmacist plays an important role as part of the patient's health care team in managing this disease. Pharmacotherapy is patient-specific, based on type, duration, and severity of symptoms, comorbidities, prior treatment, and patient preference. This article aims to provide an overview of the pathophysiology, available treatment options, guideline recommendations, and role of the pharmacist for this disease.

Rhinitis medicamentosa

Patients with rhinitis often self-medicate with over-the-counter drugs, however this self-treating population has remained largely unstudied.To characterize individuals self-medicating persistent rhinitis and to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for intranasal decongestant overuse within this population.A cross-sectional observational study of individuals self-medicating persistent rhinitis (defined according to the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma guidelines). Participants (n = 895) completed a self-administered questionnaire to assess current symptoms, rhinitis medication, and previous physician diagnosis. Intranasal decongestant overuse was defined as daily use for at least 1 year.The vast majority of subjects (95%) had moderate-to-severe rhinitis. Nasal congestion was the predominant symptom (median visual analog scale, 6.6 cm; interquartile range, 3.4 cm). Sixty-five percent had had their current nasal problems for more than 5 years. Approximately 80% had a physician diagnosis (mainly allergic rhinitis or rhinosinusitis). The prevalence of intranasal decongestant overuse was high (49%), despite the fact that most of the patients (80%) were educated about the limit on duration of use. Use of intranasal glucocorticosteroids was inversely related to being an overuser (odds ratio 0.24 [95% CI, 0.17-0.35]). The risk of intranasal decongestant overuse also was reduced by use of other medications (oral H1 antihistamines and decongestants), use of nasal saline solution, and more symptoms of itchy and/or runny eyes or colored mucus. Risk was increased by a more severely blocked nose, longer duration of symptoms, the presence of sleep disturbance, higher body mass index, and previous advice to limit the duration of intranasal decongestant use.Half of the individuals self-medicating persistent rhinitis overused intranasal decongestants, despite the fact that they were educated about the limit on duration of use.