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Tag: inhaled steroids

Effective therapy; no increased risk with asthma

Effective therapy; no increased risk with asthma

Inhaled corticosteroids are an important therapy for a variety of lung conditions, especially Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and asthma.

It has been known for several years that inhaled steroids increase the risk of pneumonia in patients with COPD. Whether this is also true in asthmatics has not been studied.

A recent research paper in the Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine indicates that inhaled steroids do not raise the risk for pneumonia in asthmatics. In the cited clinical trial involving 15,000 children and adults with asthma there was no increased risk for pneumonia.

A second study looked at low-dose versus higher-dose inhaled steroids in asthmatics and there was no increase in risk in the high-dose group.