when should you use steriods to treat asthma?

Answer 1

When your doctor recommends that you use inhaled steroids to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), take a deep breath and say... Let's talk about it.

COPD is an umbrella term, commonly used to refer to asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or any combination of the three. These conditions are quite different from one another, but their effect is the same: long-term deterioration of the respiratory system.

One of the most common ways to treat COPD is with the use of an inhaler, also known as inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). But for the millions of people who suffer from COPD, the use of ICS has one noteworthy side effect that can create more and more problems as time goes by.

Now for the men...
Doctors have known for some time that taking steroids in pill form contributes to bone loss in both men and women. But until recently, research on the association of inhaler use and bone loss has been less revealing.

In the e-Alert "Could Your Asthma Inhaler Cause Osteoporosis?" a Harvard study showed how the regular use of inhaled steroids causes bone loss at the hip in women between the ages of 18 and 45. The more "puffs" taken each day, the greater the rate of bone loss. And while the study specifically focused on premenopausal women, it noted that continued ICS use after menopause could contribute to even more bone deterioration and greater risk of fracture.

Earlier this year, researchers at Illinois Veterans Administration hospital reported on a review of medical records for more than 40,000 subjects diagnosed with COPD. Almost 95% of subjects were male, and the average age was 63 years. The VA team identified about 1,700 cases of COPD patients with nonvertebral fractures, and matched them with more than 6,800 control subjects.

After a one-year follow-up, general ICS use was not associated with a higher fracture risk compared to patients who didn't use inhalers. But fracture risk was found to be significantly elevated among those who used the highest dosages of ICS.

In their conclusion, the authors of the study wrote: "Evidence from this and other epidemiologic studies of ICS dose and the risk of fractures indicate that providers should consider prescribing the lowest effective dose of ICS in the management of COPD."

So please be wary and be careful ...

Answer 2

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Answer 3

You should be using steroids to control asthma when inhalers or nebulizer treatments alone can not resolve your bronchospasm, wheezing or chest tightness. If you are an inhaler user, then you will know its time for steroids when you are using it more than a few times in a day, if you are a nebulizer user, than if you need treatments closer than every 3-4 hours. If you take Advair, Flovent, Pulmicort or Azamacort then you are already receiving low dose steroids every day, if not, then you need to, they help to keep asthma under control so that you never have a flair up that you can not control again. Albuterol, (AKA Proventol or Ventolin), Xopenex and Atrovent are quick acting bronchodialators, and will relieve asthma symptoms within a few minutes, the steroids take about 24 hours to work thru the blood stream and really take effect.

Either way, please use maintenance therapy, it really works, and see a Pulmonologist, they can set you on the right path of control.

To the person who wrote an answer above me, Shepardj2005, I dont know where you copied and pasted that from, but first of all, COPD is an umbrella term for 5 diseases, not three, and they are Cystic Fibrosis, Bronchitis, Asthma, Bronchiectasis and Emphysema, or CBABE. Secondly, I don't care what the side effects or risk factors are, try to take an inhaler out of the hands of a COPD person, they would rip your head off before you got a good grip. You must not know anyone with a COPD, because if you did you would understand that a fracture is nothing compared to the slow and torturous way a person with COPD lives and will die. Imagine working for every breath like you just ran 3 miles, only it lasts all day, all night, while your alseep or watching tv, and you NEVER catch your breath. Inhalers are all these people have sometimes, a fracture is an easy burden to bear in comparison to a suffocating to death. So in conclusion, think before you regurgatate some nonsense that means nothing to the people who this disease actually touches.

Answer 4

If you have Asthma you should be taking an inhaled steroid, which is not the same as taking a steroid that enters the blood stream. Inhaled steroids stay in the lungs only and therefore you do not get the systemic side effects. Steroids are used to reduce inflammation, but they are used as a preventative measure, they are not used as rescue inhaled medications. Mild to severe asthma, it really doesn't matter, you should be taking a daily inhaled steroid, because every asthma attack, mild to severe causes lung damage which leads to lung fibrosis or scarring, and this is irreversible.

Answer 5

I feel your pain. I've had asthma for 14 years now and have seen several doctors. The truth is, there is no known cure for asthma at the moment. But the symptoms can be prevented. It really depends on what causes your brother's asthma. Mine is usually dust and hot weather. But I think the universal method is using the control inhaler.

I cured my Asthma the natural way?

Answer 6

Inhaler steroids DO enter the blood stream. I have been on inhaler steroids for 4 years now and I still need courses of prednisolone steroids but because I'm already on a steroid inhaler, I do not need to gradually reduce the prednisolone because it is already in my blood stream.

Every medication enters your blood stream. That is how it works. Your blood pushes it around your body and it goes where it should and works like it should.

If your asthma is uncontrolled then see your doctor. Based upon your peak flow reading, if it is low enough and he/she can hear wheezing on your chest you will be put on steroids.

If your peak flow is 50% less than what it should be for your height - you most likely need steroids. Good luck.

Answer 7

you shouldn't use steroids untill u have severe asthma and if u have asthma attacks more then 3 times a week then you should use steroid inhaler once a day in the morning to prevent any inflammation in the lungs from occurring .. be careful with steroids cuz they have many side effects and they are not prescribed for life long therapy unless its absolutely necessary.. otherwise just use the beta blocker inhaler that u use.. that also contains small about of steroids as well... steroids are only used for prevention or in acute severe attacks.

Answer 8

I have COPD and I will not take steriod shots pills until all other treatments have not worked. Steriods have some very serious side effects and you should know about them before taking steriods. Large doses of steriods will stay in your body up to a year after you take them, so know the side effects and wait until you don't have any alternatives.

Answer 9

Inhaled steroids are used when the use of as required albuterol exceeds two days a week or two nights a month. This is one of the tabulated things doctors refer to in managing asthma. Oral or IV steroids are for even severe forms of asthma or acute attacks

Answer 10

If you are using your rescue inhaler frequently and you are also taking other medications (like Singulair &/or inhaled steroids like Advair) and they are not helping then it is time to take steroids like prednisone to get your asthma back in control. Your lung condition should be monitored with a flow meter or total volume test at your doctors to see how you are doing. It is good to monitor your self at home with a flow meter as recommended by your doctor. This will tell you when your condition is starting to deteriorate and time to be more aggressive with medication. This varies from patient to patient. Use of prednisone can be effective but has a lot of dangerous side effects. It is best to wean off carefully and as soon as you can. Other asthma treatments can also be dangerous to your heart and should be monitored carefully.
A friend/coworker of mine was prednisone dependent for his asthma. He died of a heart attack at the age of 34. He was very short and his brothers were all over 6 feet tall. The stunted growth & heart attack were both side effects of his lifelong use of steroids (prednisone).