If you are prescribed oral steroid tablets these will be a higher dose than the inhaled form. For this reason they are prescribed in short courses rather than continually. If you are prescribed a course of oral steroids you should complete the course or seek advice from your doctor or asthma nurse if you have […]
Good asthma control Difficult to control asthma No daytime symptoms. No night time awakening due to asthma. No need for rescue medications. No exacerbations/flare ups. No limitations on activity including exercise. Normal lung function (FEV1 and/or PEF >80% predicted or best) with minimal side effects. Persistent symptoms. Frequent exacerbations or flare ups. Reduced lung function […]
If you have difficult to manage asthma which does not respond to standard asthma treatment you should be referred to a specialist respiratory team for further tests and assessment. They will advise you on treatment which may help to relieve your symptoms and help you keep control of your asthma. You and your asthma specialists […]
Nebulised medicines are often used for emergency treatment of asthma. They deliver doses of drugs deep in to the lungs quickly. A range of medicines can be given in this way. The aim of using a nebuliser is to make sure that a drug is delivered in the correct dose to the lung in order to […]
Sometimes having asthma can make you more susceptible to an infection which is not caused by a bacteria or virus but by a fungal infection. This is treated using anti fungal medication. Examples of anti fungal medicines include: Itraconazole (Sporanox®). What do they do? Some asthma patients have lung infections which can make their asthma […]
There are some people whose asthma control can only be achieved using steroid tablets. Steroids can have side effects especially when used long term. Doctors try to keep the dose of steroids as low as possible in to order to reduce the risk of side effects. To assist in keeping the steroid dose as low […]
If you are prescribed inhaled steroids this is a smaller does than you would get in tablet form with fewer long term side effects. Inhaled steroids do not work right away, it takes time to build up over days or weeks so do not stop your inhaled steroids when you start to feel better. Your […]
Living with difficult to control asthma can be challenging and you may have up and down days. However if you suspect you may be having side effects from your medication you should ask for medical advice urgently especially if you: Develop a rash, have a change or worsening of your breathing. Develop swelling in your […]
Oral steroids and injections are usually given as: Prednisolone tablets. Methylprednisolone. (Medrol®) Triamcinolone (Kenalog®) injections. Usually injections are used if tablet form does not give sufficient relief or when some people have side effects. Can be given every 4-6 weeks. What do they do? Reduce the inflammation in the lining of the lungs. This reduces […]
Omalizumab is an Anti IgE monoclonal antibody. It is licensed for use only in adults and children over 6 yrs. It may be considered as therapy only if you: Have impaired lung function. Have frequent asthma attacks and are symptomatic. Are taking high-dose steroid inhalers and Long-acting beta receptor antagonists which last for up to 12 hours. […]
