Allergic Rhinits Flashcards
(60 cards)
Where would you find mast cells?
stomach
eyes
skin
Describe sensitization.
your body has seen an allergen before and is now ready for a future exposure. the mast cells now have receptors for allergens and are ready to degranulate upon exposure to cause the symptoms of allergic rhintis
Differentiate between early phase and late phase reactions.
early phase:
-upon first exposure to an allergen
-lasts minutes to hours
-rhinorrhea, sneezing, itch
late phase:
-continuous exposure to allergen
-leads to inflammation
-nasal congestion
Why do we say that asthma and allergic rhinitis go hand-in-hand?
if your asthma is uncontrolled, then your allergies are probably uncontrolled (and vice versa)
What are the perennial causes of allergic rhinitis?
house dust mite
animal danders
indoor moulds
What is the difference between an irritant and an allergen?
allergens are protein based, irritants tend to be chemicals
Differentiate between acute allergic rhinitis and perennial allergic rhinitis?
acute:
-contained
-seasonally based
perennial:
-year round
-continuous exposure (danders, moulds, dust)
Explain why each of the following is non-allergic: vasomotor rhinitis, rhinitis medicamentosa, hormonal, geriatric rhinitis
vasomotor: runny nose due to temp change
medicamentosa: drug induced congestion (topical decongestants)
hormonal: stopping/starting birth control can cause congestion
geriatric: as you age, you get runny nose easier
Differentiate between intermittent and persistent.
intermittent:
-less than 4 days per week OR
-less than 4 weeks at a time
persistent:
-more than 4 days per week OR
-more than 4 weeks at a time
Differentiate between mild and moderate-severe.
mild:
-normal sleep
-normal daily activities
-no troublesome symptoms
moderate-severe:
-abnormal sleep
-impairment of daily activities
-troublesome symptoms
What are the main symptoms of allergic rhinitis?
sneezing
rhinorrhea
congestion
nasal drip
ocular symptoms (conjunctivitis)
What are some good symptoms as starting points for differentiating between acute and perennial?
acute: hit hard by runny nose, itch
perennial: congestion
What are some facial clues for allergic rhinitis?
puffy eyes
mouth breathing
What are the characteristics of allergies that help us say “okay, I think this is allergic rhinitis, NOT a cold” ?
same time every summer
increased sneezing and itch
back and forth btwn runny nose and congestion
PND
more ocular symptoms
lasts longer
What are the approaches to therapy of allergic rhinitis?
avoidance of allergens/triggers (tough to do)
nasal irrigation (trying to flush out allergens)
antihistamines
True or false: Rhinaris nasal mist or gel is for nasal irrigation
false
it is for irritated nasal tissue
Explain the MOA of antihistamines.
in the case of allergies, the antihistamine binds to the H1 receptor to prevent histamine binding, thus preventing the symptoms of allergic rhinitis
Which symptoms of allergic rhinitis are antihistamines best for?
rhinorrhea
sneezing
itch
NOT GREAT FOR CONGESTION
Do we develop a tolerance to antihistamines?
likely not
True or false: 1st gen antihistamines have 1000x greater affinity for H1 receptor than 2nd gen
false
2nd gen has 1000x greater affinity
How are antihistamines best taken for allergic rhinitis?
prior to exposure (catch up dont work)
regular dosing
Name the family classes of 1st gen antihistamines and the drugs in those classes.
promethazine
ethanolamines: dph, doxylamine, clemastine
alkylamines: chlorpheniramine, brompheniramine, dexbrompheniramine, triprolidine
Which antihistamine are sedative? Why?
1st gen
they cross BBB, anti-cholinergic effect greater than 2nd gen
Rank the family classes of 1st gen antihistamines from greatest anti-cholinergic effect to smallest.
promethazine/ethanolamines>alkylamines
