Topical Terlipressin (Glypressin®) Gel Reduces Nasal Mucosal Blood Flow but Leaves Ongoing Nose-bleeding Unaffected

Abstract

Nasal bleeding where the lesion cannot clearly be localized is today usually treated with different forms of nasal packings which are traumatizing to the nasal mucosa and often causes the patient discomfort. In an attempt to develop a more convenient form of treatment the effect of two vasoconstrictor gels on nasal mucosal blood flow was evaluated. Terlipressin gel was shown to reduce nasal blood flow in a dose-dependent way. Therefore, this gel was chosen in a double-blind comparison with placebo in the treatment of 44 patients with posterior epistaxis. Although 50% of the patients did stop bleeding after topical gel administration into the nose there was no statistically significant difference in effect between those who received terlipressin gel and those who received placebo gel. We cannot disregard the fact, however, that the gel in itself has a beneficial effect on nose-bleeding.

Key Words:

• vasopressin
• nose
• blood flow
• nose-bleeding