Budesonide For Your Asthma
Updated June 06, 2015.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
Budesonide is a steroid used both in the treatment of asthma as an inhalation treatment as well as orally for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
What Is Budesonide?
Budesonide is an inhaled corticosteroid used to treat asthma symptoms when a rescue inhaler is no longer adequate treatment. Inhaled steroids are considered first line treatment for patients using a rescue inhaler more than twice per week.
Budesonide is a drug used to prevent asthma symptoms such as:
However, it is not for the acute relief of asthma symptoms.
How Does Budesonide Work?
Inhaled steroids decrease airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. As a result, you may be less likely to develop symptoms when exposed to an asthma trigger. Budesonide acts on a number of different types of cells in evolved in the pathophysiology of asthma including:
How Is Budesonide Prescribed
Budesonide can be prescribed as an inhalational treatment for asthma. Additionally, other formulations allow for it to be taken orally, which is not an asthma treatment.
In order to be effective, budesonide needs to be taken daily. Decreased inflammation, mucus production and hyperresponsiveness will lead to decreased symptoms. Budesonide may be taken daily either as a nebulized inhalational product or through an inhaler.
Possible Risks & Side Effects of
Budesonide
Budesonide is generally well tolerated, but all medications carry some risk of side effects. The good news is that many of the risks are preventable. Common side effects include:
- Oral thrush
- Voice changes
- Cough
Using a spacer can prevent risk of thrush or oral candiasis as does rinsing your mouth out after each use. Additionally, utilizing a spacer may help prevent some voice changes associated with inhaled steroids called dysphonia. Using a spacer not only decreases risk of side effects, but also increases the amount of drug that will make it to your lungs– increasing its effectiveness.
If a child with asthma is on an inhaled steroid regular trips to your doctor are needed to make sure growth is not impacted and adults need to make sure they maintain adequate vitamin D levels.
Let your doctor know if you experience any of the following when taking budesonide:
- Abdominal pain
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Hives
- Tiredness
- Weakness
What You Need To Know About Budesonide
If your doctor has prescribed an inhaled steroid than you need to use it daily as prescribed. Many patients fail to take their medications regularly for a number of different reasons.
Know When To Call Your Doctor
Call your doctor about your asthma if:
- Your asthma symptoms worsen while on budesonide
- Your rescue inhaler no longer relieves your symptoms
- You are using your rescue inhaler more than twice per week
- Your peak flows are worsening
- You use your entire rescue inhaler at least every 2 months, or more frequently
What Is Your Biggest Asthma Problem?
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Learn More About Your Asthma
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Sources
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR3): Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma Accessed on May 23, 2015.
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