Phil Lieberman, clinical professor of medicine and pediatrics at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine says that as many as one-third of the patients who come to see him with chronic allergy symptoms don't actually have allergies. Schering-Plough, the maker of Claritin, declined to comment. Aventis and Zyrtec maker Pfizer both said their companies were committed to the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of allergies. The issue of misdiagnosis was raised last week during the FDA panel discussion on whether it's safe to sell the drugs without a prescription. Mark Dykewicz, director of allergy and immunology training at St. Louis University School of Medicine, voted in favor of the safety proposal but voiced concern that patients often misdiagnose year-round nasal symptoms as allergies.
Most allergy medications work by blocking the histamines that cause a runny nose and other symptoms.
Some nonallergic patients feel better when they take allergy pills not because of the antihistamine but because they take a type that also has a decongestant. Far less expensive decongestants, however, are sold over the counter. About 17 million people suffer from chronic nonallergic rhinitis, which causes a runny nose, sneezing and sinus congestion. The problem was gustatory rhinitis, a nonallergic reaction to certain foods, and a nose spray was prescribed. Others suffer from chronic runny nose and congestion triggered by regular use of aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen.