Mometasone furoate : the generic of steroid Nasonex
Mometasone furoate is the generic form of the steroid Nasonex. Nasonex Nasal Spray is used for the treatment of seasonal and perennial allergies in patients 2 years old and older. It treats the symptoms such as congestion, sneezing and runny nose. Mometasone furoate is also used in the treatment of nasal polyps in patients aged 18 years and older. It is a metered-dose, manual pump spray unit which contains 100 mg of suspension of mometasone furoate. Each bottle of 50 mcg supplies 120 sprays.
The daily dosage of mometasone furoate for the treatment of seasonal allergies depends on the age of the patient. The recommended dose for adults and children over 12 years old is two sprays (50 mcg of mometasone furoate in each spray) in each nostril once daily. The total daily dose is 200 mcg. It is recommended that patients with known seasonal allergies begin treatment 2 to 4 weeks prior to the start of the pollen season. Patients that are 2 to 11 years of age received a lower total dosage of 100 mcg; one spray of 50 mcg is given in each nostril once daily.
The daily dosage of mometasone furoate for the treatment of nasal polyps is restricted to those considered adults. It is not used in the treatment of nasal polyps in children. Adults 18 years of age and older receive the recommended dose of two spray (50 mcg in each spray) in each nostril twice a day. The total daily dose is 400 mcg.
A special instruction concerning Nasonex Nasal Spray should be followed. The pump must be primed by actuating ten times. A fine spray should appear. The pump is considered prime for up to 1 week. After that time, the pump would be reprimed by actuating two times or until a fine spray appears.
The side effects reported from the use of mometasone furoate are as follows: arthralgia, asthma, bronchitis, chest pain, conjunctivitis, nasal irritation, headache, viral infection, pharyngitis, blood-tinged mucas, upper respiratory tract infection, dysmenorrheal, musculoskeletal pain, sinusitis, and vomiting.
Any hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients involved in the making of mometasone furoate contraindicates its use. Additionally, there are other precautions that have been studied. There has been cause of concern of the use of intranasal corticosteroids when given to pediatric patients. It appears to reduce growth velocity. If a patient has an active tuberculous infection of the respiratory tract or other viral infection, nasal sprays should be used with great caution. Any patient with recent nasal septum ulcers, nasal surgery or nasal trauma should not use a nasal spray until healing is complete. Nasonex nasal spray is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women due to the unknown health risk to the infant. On studies involving pregnant mice, fetal survival was reduced at 180 mcg and cleft palates were developed at 60 mcg levels. While there have not been studies on pregnant women, most physicians have some concern over the studies conducted with the mice.
Mometasone furoate, the generic form of Nasonex Nasal Spray, is used to treat nasal polyps in adults and seasonal allergies in children over 2 years old as well as adults.
