HWN Suggests

Flonase or Nasacort: Which one is better?

Two nasal steroid sprays, Flonase and Nasacort, recently went over-the-counter. They are now available to everyone without a prescription. So, just like the antihistamines (Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin, etc.) several years ago, you now will need to stand in front of these two products with your hand on your chin wondering which spray should you get. Hmm. Sometimes, you will have a doctor tell you his/her preference, but if you are like the majority of people, you have not really discussed this with the doctor. It is 10 o'clock at night on the weekend and you just want something to help you feel better.

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Articles of Interest

A Scholarly Review of the Safety and Efficacy of Intranasal Corticosteroids Preparations in the Treatment of Chronic Rhinosinusitis

High-level evidence publications and position papers support the role of INCS in medical treatment for CRS. Significant improvement in disease-specific and general quality of life measures is observed with all formulations of INCS. Overall, the use of both FDA and published non-FDA INCS appears to be safe. Several novel distribution devices might improve penetration to specific areas within the sinuses.

Cleveland Clinic Study Suggests Steroid Nasal Sprays May Help Improve Outcomes in Severe COVID-19 Disease

Patients who used intranasal corticosteroids prior to COVID-19 illness were 22% less likely to be hospitalized, 23% less likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit, and 24% less likely to die from COVID-19 during hospitalization compared to patients not on intranasal corticosteroids.

Do Flonase and Nasacort Harm the Sense of Smell?

Steroid nasal sprays may reduce or damage the sense of smell or taste; in some cases, they do not recover.

Do patients correctly use steroid nose spray? A patient-reported survey of the nasal spray technique and patient compliance

Wrong spray technique is extremely common among patients using the steroid nose spray. This is something which currently seems to be overlooked by many clinicians, which is easily correctable. Moreover, patient compliance can be further improved. We emphasize the importance of giving verbal as well as written instructions to the patients when prescribing steroid nose spray.

Safety Concerns of Nasal Corticosteroids Usage in Patients With Allergic Rhinitis

According to current guidelines, INCSs are first-line treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe AR. However, most of the participants in our study have safety concerns about using INCSs, which led to the discontinuation of the medication. One of the most significant findings to emerge from this study is that the patients’ age, gender, socioeconomic status, education level, and smoking status are potential barriers to facilitating positive perceptions of and adherence to their treatment management plan.

Undesirable Effects Of Nasal Steroids: The Nosebleed

Like many with asthma, I have year-round allergic rhinitis that I take a nasal steroid and saline to help manage. I use a metered-dose sort of saline similar to what you would find as a steroid or decongestant nasal spray. While it’s probably not as effective as a continuous stream or neti pot sort of situation, I really didn’t tolerate the other type well given my sensory issues and I figure it’s better than nothing! I generally am free of any sort of side effects that I can link directly to the nasal steroid spray.

Resources

NHS

Steroid nasal sprays do not usually cause any significant side effects if used correctly and at normal doses.