Upper airway diseases due to viral infections are a common pathological condition which dominate over upper airway diseases due to bacterial infections. This phenomenon results from the variety and high prevalence of viruses as well as from the specificity of ENT anatomy. The parts of respiratory tract and pharyngeal lymphoid ring are affected selectively depending on the viral agent. In viral infections, antiviral drugs, symptomatic, and pathogenic anti-inflammatory therapy are recommended. Uncomplicated viral ENT diseases do not require antibacterial agents. The first-choice drug is Eladon®/fenspiride which provides significant effect on arachidonic acid metabolism by reducing calcium entry into macrophages. This results in the inhibition of phospholipase A2 activity and decrease in proinflammatory prostaglandin and leukotriene synthesis. In addition, fenspiride/Eladon® provides spasmolytic effect, decreases the secretion of viscous mucus, and reduces edema and destruction of inflamed tissue. Several studies demonstrated that fenspiride is effective and well tolerable in acute inflammatory diseases of the upper airways.

Key words: respiratory and ENT infections, antibiotics, fenspiride/Eladon®.

For citation: Artyushkin S.A., Eremina N.V. Differential diagnosis and rational therapy of upper airway diseases due to viral infections // RMJ. Otorhinolaryngology. 2016. № 4. P. 245–250.