TREATMENT OF URTICARIA: TODAY AND TOMORROW
Urticaria is a common disorder with diverse clinical presentations. Correct recognition of the different clinical patterns helps clinical assessment and treatment. The management of urticaria involves recognition of relevant disease associations, treatment of any identifiable external causes including infection, avoidance of drug, food and physical triggers and the appropriate use of pharmacological therapies. These can be divided into first, second and third line approaches. The choice of treatment will be influenced by many factors including drug licensing, safety, pattern of disease, its severity, pharmacoeconomic considerations and patient preference. Possible new therapeutic approaches on the horizon include new H1 antihistamines, H4 receptor antagonists, a histidine decarboxylase inhibitor under development and biological agents that target histamine - releasing autoantibody production and function.