Spray Approved for Nasal Polyps

THURSDAY, Dec. 16 (HealthDayNews) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Schering-Plough nasal spray Nasonex (mometasone furoate monohydrate) to treat nasal polyps. In a statement, the company said it was the first inhaled steroid approved for this use in the United States.

Nasal polyps, affecting up to 4 percent of the population, are noncancerous growths that can obstruct breathing. Formed in the mucous lining of the nose or in the sinuses, their prevalence tends to increase with age and among asthmatic patients, Schering-Plough said.

Symptoms of nasal polyps include long-term nasal congestion, loss of sense of smell, runny nose, chronic sinus infections, headaches and snoring.

Nasonex was first approved in 1997 to treat seasonal allergy symptoms.

More information

To learn more about nasal polyps, visit the National Library of Medicine.

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