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Allergic rhinitis - Management
Additional information
- Table 1 shows some of the advantages and disadvantages of the different first-line drugs. These should be discussed with the person with allergic rhinitis when deciding which treatment to use.
Table 1. Key characteristics of different first-line treatment options.
| Relative efficacy — allergic rhininitis | Relative efficacy — allergic conjunctivitis | Onset of action |
|---|
Dose frequency | Intranasal antihistamine* | ++ | None |
Within 15 minutes Two to four times daily | Oral non-sedating antihistamine | ++ | ++ |
Within 3 hours Once-daily options available | Intranasal corticosteroids† | +++ | ++ |
Within 12 hours Once-daily options available | * Not suitable for children < 5 years of age. † Maximum efficacy takes days or weeks to develop [ARIA, 2001a]. |
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