Non-administration of inhaled steroids behind most asthma hospitalization cases
by admin ~ February 24th, 2010.
The fact that most asthmatic people do not take their inhaled steroid medications on time may be the reason behind a majority of asthma hospitalization cases, as per a research that featured in an issue of the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (JACI).
The JACI is the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).
From News-Medical.Net:
L. Keoki Williams, MD, MPH, and colleagues from the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, and the Medical College of Georgia are the first to study the relationship between medication adherence and asthma related outcomes in adult patients with asthma. They examined the records of 405 asthma patients ages 18-50 to determine if poor adherence to directions for taking inhaled steroids resulted in poor asthma-outcomes. Researchers analyzed outpatient visits, emergency department visits, hospitalizations and oral steroid use.
The study found:
* Overall adherence to inhaled steroids was approximately 50%.
* Patients who missed one out of four doses of their prescribed inhaled
* Steroid doubled their risk of being hospitalized.
* 60% of hospitalizations could have been prevented had patients taken
* Their inhaled medication as directed.
* Poor medication adherence was also associated with emergency
* Department visits and the need to use oral steroid medications, which
* Are associated with more severe asthma.
Inhaled steroids significantly improve asthma symptoms besides reducing the concerned complications and these are just some of the reasons why they have become the standard form of treatment for persistent asthma.
Category: Anabolic Steroids | Tags: Asthma, inhaled steroids, Steroid, steroid use