The blood pressure pill that cures a runny nose
ACheap pill commonly prescribed for blood pressure could also help to dry runny noses. in a U.S. trial, verapamil reduced sniffles in those suffering from chronic sinusitis — which affects one in six people.
Sinusitis develops when the nasal passages and the lining of the sinuses — air-filled cavities behind the nose, cheeks and eyes — become inflamed, often as a result of a viral infection such as a cold or flu.
this inflammation leads to symptoms such as difficulty breathing through the nose and pain or tenderness around the eyes and nose.
Most cases clear up after a couple of weeks once the underlying infection goes, but nearly 17 per cent of the population develop chronic sinusitis — lasting several months or even years.
the symptoms range from a constant runny nose or stuffiness to a reduced sense of smell and sleep apnoea, where the airways become temporarily blocked during sleep.
Chronic sinusitis occurs when the inflammation leads to the development of tiny growths called polyps near the sinuses. as they grow, the polyps block the airways, making sinusitis symptoms even worse.
even if the infection is treated and cleared, the polyps block the sinuses and airways, so start to cause the same symptoms.
DoCtorS prescribe steroid nose drops or sprays to shrink the polyps gradually. if this fails, surgery can remove them. But the growths usually return and steroids are needed for life to keep them at bay.
now a team at Massachusetts eye and ear hospital in Boston hope verapamil will help.
it belongs to a class of medicines known as calcium channel blockers, which treat high blood pressure by reducing the buildup of calcium that can narrow the arteries.
But verapamil has an additional effect — it is known to also dampen the release of the protein p-glycoprotein from cells in the nasal passages.
and it was recently discovered this protein is involved in triggering the inflammation in sinusitis.
in a study, the researchers gave ten sinusitis sufferers a low dose of verapamil three times a day for two months, and eight others a placebo.
they were assessed regularly using the Sino-nasal outcome test, a scoring system that measures the severity of 22 symptoms, such as restricted breathing, nasal irritation and trouble sleeping.
the results showed those on placebo saw no change in their symptoms, while those on verapamil saw scores tumble by an average of 27 points, according to the Journal of allergy and Clinical immunology.
researchers are planning larger trials in the next couple of years.
‘it is interesting, but is only a pilot study,’ says professor tony narula, president of ent UK.
‘We need more research into new treatments because this condition causes a huge amount of suffering.’
MeanWhiLe, chronic sinusitis may raise the risk of certain head and neck cancers in older people, suggests a study in the journal JaMa otolaryngology — head & neck Surgery.
researchers in the U.S. analysed medical records and found that more people with chronic sinusitis had a type of head and neck cancer than those without sinus problems.
one theory is that chronic inflammation damages healthy cells and leads to the development of cancer.