While inhaled steroids undoubtedly help patients with asthma, doctors have seesawed on whether these drugs are useful for a common lung problem called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Now, a new report suggests that such treatment -- particularly at high doses -- does, in fact, help patients breath better.
COPD encompasses a variety of lung diseases, the most common being emphysema and bronchitis. The condition is strongly tied to smoking and is currently the fourth leading cause of death in the US.
Dr. E. R. Sutherland, from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, and colleagues analyzed data from 8 studies to determine if inhaled steroids improved the breathing of COPD patients. Each trial lasted at least 2 years and nearly 4000 patients were included in the analysis.
The results are reported in medical journal Thorax.
Over time, COPD patients usually experience a drop in their ability to move air in and out of their lungs. The researchers found that treatment with inhaled steroids slowed the rate at which this ability fell. Moreover, the benefits were greatest when high steroid doses were used.
The researchers conclude that these findings suggest a potential role for inhaled steroids in modifying the natural course of COPD.
An accompanying editorial describes the current study as a welcome addition to the work on inhaled steroids in patients with COPD.
New studies should concentrate on the optimal steroid dose, when steroids should be started, and what other drugs work best with steroids, the editorial notes.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
1 comment:
I'm 59 years old and female. I was diagnosed a couple of years ago with COPD and I was beyond scared! My lung function test indicated 49% capacity. After having had flu a year ago, the shortness of breath, coughing and chest pains continued even after being treated with antibiotics. I've been smoking two packs a day for 36 years. Being born without a sternum caused my ribs to be curled in just one inch away from my spine, resulting to underdeveloped lungs. At age 34 I had surgery and it was fixed. Unfortunately my smoking just caused more damage to my already under developed lungs. The problem was having is that I enjoy smoking and don't want to give up! Have tried twice before and nearly went crazy and don't want to go through that again. I saw the fear in my husband and children's eyes when I told them about my condition then they start to find solution on their own to help my condition.I am an 59 now who was diagnose COPD emphysema which I know was from my years of smoking. I started smoking in school when smoking was socially acceptable. I remember when smoking was permitted in hospitals. It was not known then how dangerous cigarettes were for us, and it seemed everybody smoked but i was able to get rid of my COPD lung condition through the help of total cure herbal foundation my husband bought, totalcureherbsfoundation .c om has the right herbal formula to help you get rid and repair any lung conditions and cure you totally with their natural organic herbs,it class products at affordable prices because how awful it is with this lung dictions . I wish anybody who starts smoking at a young age would realize what will eventually happen to their bodies if they continue that vile habit throughout their life, certainly total cure herbs is the formula to get over Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
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