Medicamentos pediátricos de administración intranasal: eficacia, seguridad y aplicaciones clínicas

The intranasal route has gained relevance in paediatrics because it is non-invasive, the nasal mucosa is highly vascularised and hepatic first-pass metabolism is partly avoided. The study therefore aimed to analyse the available scientific evidence on the efficacy, safety and clinical applications of drugs administered intranasally in paediatric patients. A narrative review was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and prescribing information. Corticosteroids were first-line treatment for allergic rhinitis, intranasal diazepam and midazolam were effective as seizure rescue therapy, dexmedetomidine and midazolam facilitated premedication, and fentanyl provided rapid analgesia without venous access. It was concluded that their use requires protocols and monitoring according to the systemic risk of each drug.