Miss Sarah CHOW, an 18 year old, had recently been diagnosed to have allergic rhinitis. She was prescribed loratadine (Claritin ®) and phenylephrine to relieve her symptoms by a family doctor.

a) Name THREE of the common allergic rhinitis symptoms (3 marks)

b) Regarding loratadine:

i) Name the class of drugs (1 mark)

ii) What was its purpose (2 marks) 

iii) State the route of administration (1 mark)

c) Regarding phenylephrine:

i) Name the class of drugs (1 mark)

ii) What was its purpose (2 marks)

iii) State the route of administration and adverse effects (4 marks)

d) Later on, the family doctor realized that Sarah also suffered from childhood asthma. Name the class of drugs with mechanism of action that are NOT recommended as a first line medication to treat allergic rhinitis, but may be helpful in those people who have both asthma and allergic rhinitis. State the route of administration. (3 marks)

e) There is a common class of drugs for treatment in patients with severe allergic rhinitis symptoms affecting their quality of life, but patients are sometimes hesitant to use due to fear of adverse effects. Name this class of drugs and address patients’ concern. (3 marks)