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azelastine vs mometasone nasal

Side-by-side comparison of azelastine and mometasone nasal Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

Drug Class
azelastine Antihistamine (Nasal)
mometasone nasal Nasal Corticosteroid
Type
azelastine Over-the-Counter
mometasone nasal Prescription
Summary
azelastine

Azelastine nasal spray is an antihistamine medicine. It helps relieve allergy and non-allergy nasal symptoms.

mometasone nasal

Mometasone nasal spray helps relieve allergy symptoms. It is a nasal corticosteroid that reduces inflammation in the nose.

What It Treats
azelastine

This medicine treats symptoms of seasonal allergies in adults and kids 5 years and older. It also treats symptoms of vasomotor rhinitis (stuffy or runny nose not caused by allergies) in adults and teens 12 years and older. It works by blocking histamine, a substance in the body that causes allergy symptoms.

mometasone nasal

This medicine treats symptoms of hay fever and other upper respiratory allergies. It can help with a stuffy nose, runny nose, sneezing, and itchy nose. It provides temporary relief of these symptoms.

How It Works
azelastine

Azelastine is an antihistamine. It blocks histamine, a natural substance that your body makes during an allergic reaction. By blocking histamine, azelastine helps reduce allergy symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes.

mometasone nasal

Mometasone is a type of medicine called a nasal corticosteroid. It works by reducing swelling and inflammation in your nose. This helps to relieve allergy symptoms.

Common Side Effects
azelastine
  • Bitter taste
  • Headache
  • Sleepiness
  • Nasal burning
  • Sore throat
mometasone nasal

No common side effects listed.

FAERS Reports
azelastine
  • The medicine did not work 1,876
  • The medicine was not effective 1,155
  • Tiredness 1,144
  • Missed dose 889
  • Headache 883
mometasone nasal

No adverse event reports.

Serious Warnings
azelastine

Azelastine nasal spray can cause sleepiness. Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how this medicine affects you. Avoid drinking alcohol or taking other medicines that can cause sleepiness while using this spray.

mometasone nasal

The growth rate of some children may be slower while using this product. Children should use it for the shortest time needed to relieve symptoms. Talk to your child's doctor if they need to use the spray for more than two months a year.

Pregnancy
azelastine

There is limited information about the safety of azelastine nasal spray during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if azelastine passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

mometasone nasal

There is no information about the safety of this drug during pregnancy or breastfeeding in the provided data. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Also Compare — Nearby Drugs

How to Read This azelastine vs mometasone nasal Comparison

azelastine is classified in the Antihistamine (Nasal) drug class, while mometasone nasal sits within the Nasal Corticosteroid class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, azelastine has 5,947 submissions while mometasone nasal has 0. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between azelastine and mometasone nasal — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.