Action:
- Anti-inflammatory medicine.
- Prevent and reduce swelling inside the breathing tubes and lessen the amount of mucus in the
lungs.
How to Take:
- Metered Dose Inhaler
- Dry Powder Inhalers
- Aerosol
Inhaled Corticosteroids:
- Safe when taken as ordered and doses monitored
- Prevents swelling in the breathing tubes
- May take up to a week to start working
- Must be taken EVERY DAY to work
Possible Side Effects:
- Yeast infection in the mouth (thrush)
- Coughing
- Hoarse voice
- Soreness of the mouth or throat
- Slowing of growth, eye changes noted only in continued high doses
Important Things to Remember:
- To avoid side effects:
- ALWAYS use a spacer device with your metered dose inhaler.
- ALWAYS rinse your mouth after taking your medication. For older children have them
swish the water and spit it out. For infants, give them a bottle to drink.
- Corticosteroids are not the same medicine as the steroids that some athletes use.
- If your child takes a bronchodilator medication give the bronchodilator before the inhaled
steroid. This helps the inhaled steroid move into the lungs more effectively. Wait 3 -5 minutes
between giving the bronchodilator mist and the inhaled steroid. Inhaled steroids are not
bronchodilators. They do not help an acute wheezing episode. If any wheezing is present,
use the bronchodilator and call your physician. It can be dangerous to use inhaled steroids alone
during an asthma attack (coughing, wheezing, or difficult breathing). CONTACT YOUR
PHYSICIAN.
- If your child is exposed to anyone with chicken pox (and your child has not had chicken pox) or
breaks out in chicken pox while on the steroids, call your local physician or the Riley
Pulmonary Office, for possible further directions.
Common Names:
Inhaled
- Azmacort
- Aerobid
- Pulmicort Turbuhaler
- Pulmicort Respules
- Flovent
- Advair (combination Flovent and Serevent)
- QVAR
- Asmanex
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