Cromolyn Sodium Brand Names
Crolom | Gastrocrom | Intal | Nasalcrom | Opticrom
What is Cromolyn Sodium
Cromolyn is a synthetic mast cell stabilizer. Although cromolyn has no bronchodilator activity, it was found to inhibit antigen-induced bronchospasm.
The drug is used as an inhaled prophylactic agent in the treatment of mild to moderate asthma, via nasal inhalation to treat seasonal allergic rhinitis, or as an ophthalmic solution to treat allergic or vernal conjunctivitis.
The oral dosage form has limited therapeutic usage and is approved to treat systemic mastocytosis; the oral dosage form has fared no better than placebo in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
Cromolyn and its many formulations are approved for use in adults and children as young as 2 years of age.
Cromolyn is considered an alternate, but not preferred, therapy to the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) in the treatment of mild persistent asthma (step 2 care) according to the 2007 guidelines of the Expert Panel of the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program.
Cromolyn is also used as a preventative for exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) or exposure to known allergens.
It may be used in patients with EIB who continue to have symptoms despite use of short-acting beta-2 agonists
Indications
- allergic conjunctivitis
- allergic rhinitis
- allergic rhinitis prophylaxis
- asthma
- exercise-induced bronchospasm prophylaxis
- giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC)
- keratitis
- keratoconjunctivitis
- perennial allergies
- seasonal allergies
- systemic mastocytosis
- vernal keratoconjunctivitis
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- anaphylactoid reactions
- anemia
- angioedema
- anxiety
- arthralgia
- atrial tachycardia
- bronchospasm
- chest pain (unspecified)
- constipation
- cough
- depression
- diarrhea
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- dyspepsia
- dysphagia
- dyspnea
- dysuria
- edema
- erythema
- exfoliative dermatitis
- fatigue
- flatulence
- flushing
- glossitis
- hallucinations
- headache
- hemoptysis
- hoarseness
- hypoesthesia
- increased urinary frequency
- insomnia
- lacrimation
- laryngeal edema
- lethargy
- lupus-like symptoms
- malaise
- migraine
- myalgia
- nasal congestion
- nasal irritation
- nausea
- neuritis
- neutropenia
- ocular irritation
- ocular pruritus
- palpitations
- pancytopenia
- paresthesias
- pericarditis
- pharyngitis
- photosensitivity
- polycythemia
- premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)
- pruritus
- psychosis
- purpura
- rash
- seizures
- sneezing
- stomatitis
- throat irritation
- tinnitus
- urticaria
- ventricular tachycardia
- vertigo
- vomiting
- wheezing
Monitoring Parameters
- laboratory monitoring not necessary
- pulmonary function tests (PFTs)
Contraindications
- acute bronchospasm
- breast-feeding
- cardiac arrhythmias
- cardiac disease
- children
- contact lenses
- coronary artery disease
- hepatic disease
- infants
- lactase deficiency
- pregnancy
- renal disease
- renal failure
- renal impairment
- status asthmaticus
Interactions
There are no drug interactions associated with Cromolyn Sodium products.
