Fluticasone propionate in the treatment of airway inflammations (asthma and rhinitis)

Inflammation is the pathogenetic basis of many airway diseases like asthma and rhinitis. This provides the rationale for a therapy with antiinflammatory drugs like inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), which are able to suppress the underlying pathologic processes, ensuring an effective control of the disease and improving patients's quality of life. Within ICS, fluticasone is endowed of a potent antiinflammatory activity, due to its high affinity for the the glucocorticoid receptor (allowing the use of 50% of the dose of other ICS) and of a negligible oral bioavailability (<1%), indicating a low potential for systemic exposure. Due to its high therapeutical index, fluticasone can be used in the management of severe asthma or other airway diseases at doses devoid of relevant unwanted systemic effects. Scientific literature has broadly demonstrated its efficacy and safety, even at high doses and in the long term use.