Nasocort AQ is one of the older intranasal steroids available in the US
market. It has a number of attributes that offer beneficial points.
These
include:
- It is unscented. The rose scent that is present in the preservative
that
is used with Flonase, Vancenase AQ, Beconase AQ and Nasonex can be
irritating to many patients. Nasocort AQ is completely unscented.
- It is thixotropic-it stays where it is sprayed. Another major
complaint
patients have with intranasal steroids is that there is a "backdrip"
that
can be very irritating. It is not as much of an issue with Nasocort AQ.
There are also some negative points about Nasocort AQ. These include:
- Triamcinalone (the active ingredient in Nasocort AQ) is not as potent as
some of the newer corticosteroids. Therefore, the onset of action is
slower
than some of the newer products on the market, such as Nasonex and Flonase.
- Triamcinalone is more readily absorbed in to the systemic circulation
than some of the newer intranasal steroids. Therefore, it may
potentially
have more systemic effects on individuals. These can include growth
suppression in children, glaucoma, cataracts and osteoporosis, among others.
When prescribing Nasocort AQ, physicians and patients should consider the
risks and benefits of using medications within this class and whether
Nasocort AQ is the best medication for the patient given their preferences
and general state of their health.