Inhaled corticosteroids for asthma

Inhaled corticosteroids are highly useful to control asthma

The medications including the group inhaled corticosteroids that you have been prescribed to control your asthma may be different to the medications used by someone else. The reason being that the type and the frequency of the medications used will be determined by the doctors based on the patients’ age, sex, severity of the asthma symptoms, general wellbeing, control of asthma symptoms, compliance as well as on the potential for side effects. Doctors may have to change the dosage and review the treatment plan from time to time in order to arrive at the best possible combination.

In any event, inhaled corticosteroids play a major role in the long-term management of most asthma patients and according to experts, corticosteroids is the most useful asthma medication for long-term management of asthma in most asthmatics among all ages.

How does inhaled corticosteroid work?

Inhaled corticosteroids will directly enter the lungs via the airways and will reduce the inflammation present within the lining of the bronchial tree. In other words, the corticosteroid will reduce the swelling, redness and the production of excess mucus within the airways and therefore will reduce the sensitivity of the airway lining for other allergens. The result is that you will be able to tolerate better when it comes to asthma triggers and will be able to reduce the frequency of the asthmatic attacks as well as its severity.

What are the types of inhaled corticosteroids available for asthma control?

There are different kinds of inhaled corticosteroids available and prescribed for your asthma control. Among them, beclomethasone (QVAR), budesonide (Pulmicort), fluticasone (Flovent) and ciclesonide (Alvesco) are common. The medications may be available in the form of metered dose inhalers, dry powder inhalers or as nebulizing solutions. In whatever form, the action will be to reduce the inflammation within the airways through direct action on the lining cells.

What are the side effects of inhaled corticosteroids?

In general, inhaled corticosteroids do not cause many side effects given its direct action and its minimum absorption. At the same time, the minor side effects experienced by the use of inhaled corticosteroids may disappear with continued use and at times, the side effects would be almost negligible when considering the relief that it can bring to a person suffering from frequent attacks of asthma which can sometimes be life threatening. In any event, if side effects manifest, hoarseness of the voice, sore throat and the formation of whitish thrush over the mouth are the commonest. Even these side effects can be minimized through rinsing your mouth after each inhalation of corticosteroids. Furthermore, you can use a spacer device with the metered dose type of corticosteroids inhalers and that will also help reduce the accumulation of the drug within the oral cavity as well as to better inhale most of the drug than when directly inhaling from the metered dose device.

However, it should be remembered that the side effects observed with inhaled corticosteroids is not as serious or significant as when a person is taking other forms of steroids or higher doses of the same.