Go to:
Symptoms and coursePost-drug rhinitis refers to the swelling and inflammation of the nasal mucous membranes caused by chronic use of topical vasoconstrictors. In addition to vasoconstriction of the nasal mucosa, the nasal mucosa dries out, which can cause secondary infections.
Symptoms and course drug-induced rhinitis
The nasal mucosa of a person with drug-induced rhinitis shows a lack of cilia, inflammatory cell infiltration, epithelial cell hyperplasia and an increase in the number of submucosal glands.
The following are drugs that, when used for more than 10 days, lead to drug-induced rhinitis:
- imidazole derivatives (oxymetazoline, xylometazoline, nafazoline),
- sympathomimetic amines (pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine).
The symptoms of the condition in question are due to the simultaneous stimulation of alpha- and, to a small extent, beta-adrenergic receptors by the above-mentioned drugs. Alpha-mimetics reduce the production of norepinephrine, which is associated with weaker contraction after the effects of these drugs have ended. Chronic use of alpha-mimetics also reduces alpha-receptor sensitivity. This is known as the tachyphylaxis phenomenon - chronic use requires an increasing dose of the drug and its increasingly frequent administration to improve nasal patency.
