EAST HANOVER, N.J., Dec. 9, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer may have saved deliveries for Santa Claus on that foggy Christmas Eve, but elf lore has it that indoor allergies caused his red nose and eyes.
These are the same allergies that unfortunately can leave the rest of us looking like Rudolph at holiday time: Bright noses and itchy, red eyes.
"People who suffer from allergies may get an unwelcome present come Christmas time -- red, irritated, watery eyes and stuffy noses -- because the things that cause allergies are cooped up indoors with us," said Dr. Reza Haque, principal clinical physician at Novartis Ophthalmics North America maker of Zaditor( (ketotifen fumarate ophthalmic solution, 0.025%). "We bring musty firewood indoors. We bring dusty Christmas decorations out of storage. We bring our pets indoors because of the cold or receive puppies and kittens as presents. All of these can trigger allergies in people who are susceptible."
In addition, Haque pointed out, many of today's homes are extremely energy-efficient, keeping the ingredients of an allergy attack trapped indoors.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, allergies affect an estimated 50 to 60 million Americans. That translates to about one of every five adults and children. Allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the United States.
"Dust, mold and pet dander are allergens," Haque said. "For most people, allergens are harmless substances, but they trigger physical reactions in people who are sensitive to them. These reactions range from sneezing to itchy, watery eyes and red noses that make them look like Rudolph."
Haque says these reactions are the body's way of ridding itself of the irritating allergens. Sneezing expels them from the nose, and tears wash them from the eyes.
Doctors prescribe medicines to counter the attacks. One of the leading medications to relieve itchy, watery eyes is Zaditor(tm) (ketotifen fumarate ophthalmic solution 0.025%) manufactured by Novartis Ophthalmics. The fast-acting, easy-to-use Zaditor eye drops relieve the itch in just three minutes and have a lasting effect for up to 12 hours. One survey showed that 96 percent of physicians queried said Zaditor is as effective as or more effective than many other similar products currently on the market.
"Zaditor is effective because it works on different parts of the allergic reaction," said Haque. "Zaditor is an antihistamine and it blocks the action of a chemical in the body called histamine, which causes itching and inflammation. Zaditor not only relieves the effects of histamine, but because it is also a mast cell stabilizer it prevents the further release of histamine for up to 12 hours."