Inhaled Corticosteroids: Controller Medication
Flovent, Pulmicort, Qvar, Advair, Asmanex

How Inhaled Corticosteroids Work:
Inhaled corticosteroids help decrease swelling in the airways. They can also decrease how much mucous the airways make. When you inhale corticosteroids the medicine goes right to the problem area – the airways. Inhaled corticosteroids are called a controller medication because they should be taken every day to prevent asthma symptoms.

How To Take Your Inhaled Corticosterid:
Inhaled corticosteroids come in a few forms. FloVent and Qvar are metered dose inhalers (MDI). Pulmicort comes in both a dry powder turbohaler and a liquid for the nebulizer. Asmanex is a dry powder twisthaler.

Remember:

• A spacer device such as an AeroChamber should always be used with MDI inhaled corticosteroids to make sure more of the medication goes to the airways.
• Do not use more of your inhaled corticosteroid or take it more often than prescribed by your GPPA doctor or mid-level.
• If you forget a dose and do not remember it for a few hours, skip that dose and return to your regular schedule.
• You may not notice if inhaled corticosteroids are helpful for one to four weeks after starting the medication.
• Do not ever stop using any medication without first checking with your GPPA healthcare provider.

Side Effects:

Possible side effects of inhaled corticosteroids include:

• A hoarse voice
• Oral thrush (white patches in the mouth)
• Cough

The chances of getting these side effects is much less if you use a spacer device like an AeroChamber and always rinse your mouth or brush your teeth after using an inhaled corticosteroids.

There is little reason to worry about low and medium dosed inhaled steroids affecting your growth. Remember, only a very small amount of the medicine is absorbed into the rest of the body so inhaled steroids can be used for a long time with little risk of the side effects that can come from oral steroids.

Store all medications out of a child’s reach. If your child or someone else takes too much of any medicine, call the Georgia Poison Control Center at 1-800-282-5846.