New guidelines for diagnosing and treating allergic rhinitis were released this month, just in time for the crush of fall allergy sufferers seeking relief from their allergist/immunologists.
Allergic rhinitis, commonly called hay fever, affects an estimated 20 percent of adults and 40 percent of children in the United States, according to the AAAAI. It is the No. 1 cause of work absenteeism due to chronic illness and leads to more than 2 million missed school days for children.
The new rhinitis parameter offers discussion on several recent developments in treatment of allergic rhinitis, including:
– Recognizing co-morbidities, such as asthma, sinusitis and sleep apnea, and testing pulmonary function in these patients
– Use of non-sedating antihistamines during pregnancy
– Advantages and disadvantages of single and combination treatment approaches
– Benefits vs. safety of use of oral decongestants on children under 6
– Medications released in the past 10 years
– Consideration of using a Rhinitis Action Plan
Read more at Medical News Today
