What is an inhaler with a corticosteroid (steroid)?

From the Guidelines

Inhaled corticosteroid inhalers are the most effective long-term control medication for asthma, and they should be used as the first-line treatment for patients with mild to moderate persistent asthma. The evidence from the study published in the American Family Physician in 2010 1 supports the use of inhaled corticosteroids as the most potent and consistently effective long-term control medication for asthma. This study found that patients with mild to moderate persistent asthma treated with inhaled corticosteroids demonstrate improved symptom scores, lower exacerbation rates, and reduced symptom frequency.

Some key points to consider when using inhaled corticosteroid inhalers include:

• Typical dosing ranges from 1-2 puffs once or twice daily, depending on the specific medication and severity of the condition
• It's essential to rinse your mouth afterward to prevent oral thrush, a fungal infection
• These inhalers often take 1-2 weeks of regular use to reach full effectiveness
• They're considered controller medications meant for daily use, not for immediate symptom relief during an attack
• For acute symptoms, a rescue inhaler like albuterol would be more appropriate

The study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in 2002 1 also supports the use of inhaled corticosteroids, finding that they improve long-term outcomes for children of all ages with mild or moderate persistent asthma. However, since the study from 2010 1 is more recent and has a higher evidence rating, its findings take precedence.

In terms of specific medications, common inhaled steroids include fluticasone (Flovent), budesonide (Pulmicort), beclomethasone (QVAR), mometasone (Asmanex), and ciclesonide (Alvesco). These medications work by reducing inflammation in the airways, preventing symptoms like wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing. Inhaled steroids have fewer systemic side effects than oral steroids because they're delivered directly to the lungs, though they may still cause hoarseness, sore throat, or oral thrush in some users.

From the FDA Drug Label

Budesonide inhalation suspension is an inhaled corticosteroid medicine Budesonide inhalation suspension is a long-term maintenance medicine used to control and prevent asthma symptoms in children ages 12 months to 8 years. Inhaled corticosteroids help to decrease inflammation in the lungs. Budesonide inhalation suspension helps reduce swelling and inflammation in the lungs, and helps keep the airways open to reduce asthma symptoms.

The inhaler with steroid is budesonide inhalation suspension, which is used to control and prevent asthma symptoms in children ages 12 months to 8 years. It is a long-term maintenance medicine that helps decrease inflammation in the lungs 2.

From the Research

Inhaler with Steroid

• The use of inhalers with steroids is a common treatment for asthma, with various options available, including fluticasone, budesonide, and beclomethasone 3, 4, 5, 6.
• Studies have compared the efficacy and safety of these steroids, with results showing that fluticasone may produce greater improvements in lung function and symptom control compared to budesonide and beclomethasone 4, 5, 6.
• However, the risk of side effects, such as pharyngitis, may be higher with fluticasone, particularly when given at twice the dose of budesonide or beclomethasone 5, 6.
• Combination therapies, such as fluticasone/salmeterol and budesonide/formoterol, have also been shown to be effective in improving asthma outcomes, with some studies suggesting that they may be more effective than monotherapy alone 3, 4.
• The 2020 Asthma Guideline Update from the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program recommends the use of inhaled corticosteroids, such as fluticasone, as a preferred therapy for moderate persistent asthma, and suggests that combination therapies may be more effective than monotherapy alone 7.

Comparison of Steroids

• Fluticasone has been shown to be more effective than budesonide and beclomethasone in improving lung function and symptom control, particularly in more severe patients treated with higher doses of inhaled corticosteroid 5, 6.
• However, the risk of side effects, such as pharyngitis, may be higher with fluticasone, particularly when given at twice the dose of budesonide or beclomethasone 5, 6.
• Budesonide and beclomethasone may be associated with a lower risk of side effects, but may not be as effective as fluticasone in improving lung function and symptom control 5, 6.

Combination Therapies

• Combination therapies, such as fluticasone/salmeterol and budesonide/formoterol, have been shown to be effective in improving asthma outcomes, with some studies suggesting that they may be more effective than monotherapy alone 3, 4.
• The use of combination therapies may be recommended for patients with moderate to severe asthma, particularly those who are not well-controlled on monotherapy alone 7.