Treating Nasal Congestion May Prevent Asthma Attacks

The use of intranasal corticosteroids to treat an upper airways condition (rhinitis, sinusitis, or otitis media) appears to lower the risk for emergency department (ED) visits for acute asthma exacerbations, according to findings published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. In fact, the number of ED visits was 30% lower among people with asthma who received intranasal corticosteroids, compared with those who were untreated. This rate reduction was found even after the researchers adjusted for age, sex, frequency of orally inhaled corti-costeroid and beta-agonist dispensing, amount and type of ambulatory care for asthma, and diagnosis of an upper airways condition. The risk reduction was even greater?50%?among patients with more than 3 intranasal corticosteroid prescriptions dispensed per year.