Nasonex is the trade name for the prescription drug mometasone furoate monohydrate. Nasonex is indicated for the treatment and prevention of seasonal nasal inflammation and for nasal polyps. Nasonex comes in the form of a nasal spray in 50 micro-gram units in each spray. Nasonex was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2005 and has been studied extensively in clinical trials and post marketing research. Nasonex has proven generally safe and effective, but also causes several side effects.
Relief of Nasal Inflammation
Nasonex is effective at relieving nasal inflammation caused by allergies and polyps. Nasal polyps are inflamed masses in the nasal mucous membrane. According to Drugs.com, Nasonex is significantly effective at relieving allergic nasal inflammation including stuffiness, runny nose, itching and sneezing. The maximum effective dose is 350 micro-grams while the standard treatment dose is 50 micro-grams. Drugs.com also states that most patients experience relief from symptoms within 11 hours and that the maximum benefit is usually achieved with one to two weeks. Nasonex used in the prevention of allergies is also significantly effective compared to placebo. For nasal polyps, patient dosing is 200 micro-grams and is significantly more effective than placebo at reducing nasal inflammation and its associated symptoms.
Side Effects
Nasonex can also cause several side effects. According to the prescribing label for Nasonex, the most common side effect in clinical trials is headache, occurring in around 26 percent of patients. Fourteen percent of patients incur viral infections. Twelve percent of patients report throat inflammation from using Nasonex. Another 11 percent of patients reported having blood tinged mucous, possibly in conjunction with throat inflammation and respiratory infections. Other related side effects include upper respiratory tract infections, coughing and inflamed sinuses. Patients have also experienced painful menstruation and musculoskeletal pains. The prescribing label for Nasonex states that the most common post marketing side effects include nasal burning and irritation, airway obstruction, blood pooling in the chest and changes in taste and smell.
Warnings
Nasonex's effect include several warnings. According to Drugs.com, patients that are transferred from a constant release injection corticosteroid to topical corticosteroids, such as Nasonex, may experience adrenal related side effects. These include muscle and skeletal pain, depression, fatigue and faintness. These symptoms may be worse in patients that also use Nasonex for asthma. Drugs.com also states patients who are on immune suppressing medications in conjunction with Nasonex, can experience serious or fatal outcomes from a chicken-pox or measles infection. Pediatric patients that have not previously been infected with the chicken-pox virus should consult their physician prior to administration of Nasonex.
