|
 | In another likely attempt to shift healthcare costs to the consumer, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel recommended to make Nasacort available over-the-counter (OTC) without a prescription. Nasacort is an intranasal corticosteroid spray used for the treatment of allergic rhinitis in people 2 years of age and older. While intranasal corticosteroids are generally safe therapies, there have been some studies showing an increased risk of eye problems (such as glaucoma and cataracts), nose bleeds (and ultimately septal perforation) and potentially affects on growth in children. If Nasacort goes OTC, it is likely that other intranasal corticosteroids will follow -- and this seems to follow the trend of other allergy medicines, such as oral antihistamines and eye drops, being available OTC without a prescription. While this may initially seem convenient to obtain Nasacort without a prescription, it also means that insurance companies will stop paying for this (and similar) medicines. | |
Antihistamines for Allergies
Histamine is a chemical released from allergic cells in the body (such as mast cells and basophils), usually in response to an allergen like cat dander or pollen. When histamine is released by allergic cells in the nose and eyes, the result is sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes/nose/throat, nasal congestion and post-nasal drip. These are the symptoms of hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis. Antihistamines are medications that block a receptor for histamine, thereby stopping the symptoms that histamine causes. Antihistamines are the most commonly used medications to treat allergic rhinitis.
| OTC Allergy Medicines
There are numerous over-the-counter (OTC) medications available for the treatment of allergy symptoms. Some of these, like oral decongestants such as Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) and sedating antihistamines like Benadryl (diphenhydramine), have been available for many years. Others, such as Claritin (loratadine) and Zyrtec-D (cetirizine/pseudoephedrine), have only recently become available OTC without a prescription.
| Intranasal Corticosteroid Sprays
Nasal steroids are a commonly used medication to treat the symptoms of allergic rhinitis (also called hay fever). These medications work by decreasing the allergic inflammation within the nasal passages, and treat symptoms such as sneezing, itchy nose, runny nose, congestion and post-nasal drip. Since steroids generally take many hours before they begin to work, nasal steroids do not work well on an "as-needed" basis, and therefore need to be used routinely for best effect. Most studies show that nasal steroids are the single most effective medicine available for the treatment of nasal allergies. In fact, many studies show that nasal steroids are better at treating allergy symptoms than oral antihistamines, nasal antihistamine sprays or Singulair. Nasal steroids are also particularly good at treating symptoms of eye allergies.
| Allergy Basics
The page covers topics which are basic to the understanding of allergic diseases in general. A brief question and answer format is used in an easy to read and understand manner.
| |
| | Related Searches
| | | | Featured Articles | |
| |
| | | | Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics | | | | You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Allergies newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here.
About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy
Contact Information:
1500 Broadway, 6th Floor
New York, NY, 10036
© 2013 About.com | | | | |
Must Reads | | | | Follow me on: | | | |
Advertisement
 | |
Nema komentara:
Objavi komentar