Pharmacotherapy of nasal disease

Rhinitis may be classified as infectious (purulent), seasonal allergic, perennial allergic, perennial nonallergic (vasomotor) and nasal polyps. Pharmacotherapy can be local or systemic. A variety of compounds are available, including alpha adrenergic agonists, mast cell stabilizing agents, Beta-2 agonists, antihistamines, cholinergic antagonists and corticosteroids. In terms of histamine receptors, H1 receptors predominate in the epithelium and glands but both H1 and H2 receptors are present in nasal blood vessels. Trigeminus-reflex mediated nasal secretions, can be treated by parasympatholytic drugs.