lecture 15 - respiratory anti-inflammatories

Question 1

What are ‘preventers’ in asthma treatment, and what drug class is used?

Answer 1

Drugs that are anti-inflammatory - glucocorticoids

Question 2

What oral corticosteroid is used in asthma treatment?

Answer 2

Prednisone

Question 3

What are the effects of glucocorticoids in asthma treatment?

Answer 3

Reduce inflammatory cells thereby reducing airways damage, reduce vascular permeability, inhibit macrophage function

Question 4

What is a common example of an inhaled glucocorticoid?

Answer 4

Fluticasone

Question 5

What glucocorticoid is found in a symbicort inhaler?

Answer 5

budesonide

Question 6

Why do inhaled glucocorticoid have much fewer systemic side effects than oral glucocorticoids?

Answer 6

Because they are metabolised in the lung and very little reaches the systemic circulation

Question 7

How can the adverse effects of inhaled glucocorticoids be prevented?

Answer 7

rinse after use, use spacer, reduce dose frequency

Question 8

When should prednisone be prescribed to asthmatics?

Answer 8

Early during an acute severe asthma exacerbation