Oral steroids for asthma

Oral steroids are used to treat severe asthma

Oral steroids such as prednisone are used to treat asthma and act much in the same way as inhaled corticosteroids. However, given its route and the strength of the dosing, oral prednisone will be absorbed systemically and will have a greater influence on the other body organs and systems than it would be with inhaled corticosteroids. Therefore, the use of prednisone and other oral steroids are limited to instances of acute and severe attacks of asthma and is given in short bursts no more than 2 weeks at a time.

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.