Steroid treatment for asthma and other lung diseases - new template - jan '08.qxd

Steroid treatment for asthma and other lung diseases - new template - Jan ’08.qxd 08/01/2008 16:50 Page 1 To support the British Lung Foundation,
possible to keep your condition under control. British Lung Foundation
please complete the form below.
The British
Head Office
prescribed double the dose, but only every other Lung Foundation
[ ] Regular giving [ ] Cash and raffle appeals day. This reduces the risk of side-effects while maintaining the overall benefit of the medicine.
Steroid treatment
[ ] In-memory gifts and Breath of Life funds Side-effects of steroid tablets
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for asthma
With long-term use of steroids, side effects can [ ] Cheque / Postal Order (payable to British Lung
become a real problem. These include weight Foundation), or
gain, puffy face, thin skin with easy bruising and [ ] Credit / Debit Card (please circle your choice): Midlands
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MasterCard / Visa / CAF (Charity Card) / Maestro / Delta thinning of the bones (osteoporosis); in children __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ growth. Steroids can also affect control of lung diseases
Security no. __ __ __ (last 3 digits on reverse of your card) Expiry date __ __/__ __ Issue no. _______ (Maestro only) diabetes. Tablets can disturb sleep so you should • We support people affected by
______________________________ Date __ / __ / __ If you take steroid tablets on a long-term basis North West
Please return this form and, if you are making a donation, your gift, to: Appeals Team, British Lung Foundation, Northern Ireland
• the disease has become less active or inactive Your Details (please use CAPITAL LETTERS):
___________ First name _____________________________ Scotland
______________________________________________ • you should receive a regular test for osteoporosis. _______________________________________________ _________________________________ Postcode _____________ Finally, if you are taking steroid tablets long- South West
_____________________________________________ Email __________________________________________________ • you should not stop taking them suddenly • helpline: 08458 50 50 20
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Registered charity of England and Wales - no. 326730 you would prefer not to receive these communications, please tick here [ ] British Lung Foundation 2008
Charity registered in Scotland - no. SC 038415 Steroid treatment for asthma and other lung diseases - new template - Jan ’08.qxd 08/01/2008 16:50 Page 2 What are steroids?
Inhaled steroids
Steroid tablets in asthma,
shortly after coming off a course of prednisolone Supporting the
(the commonest steroid tablet), with the risk of Many types of steroids are made naturally Inhaled steroids are the main treatment for short-term
British Lung Foundation
in our bodies. They are made by two small asthma. They can also be used to treat COPD Short-term steroid tablets can help your doctor glands, called adrenal glands, which sit above As a result some people have to combine daily or nurse check if you really have asthma. They can also treat people with asthma or COPD combination is not ideal, but it may prove the Become a member - by joining the British Lung
Steroids produced by the adrenal glands are also because they are mainly diseases of the airways whose condition flares up. They are not usually best way of treating your condition. In fact, it Foundation, you are adding your voice to ours, made artificially. One of these steroids, (the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs). can give an overall lower dose of steroids than and helping us to speak out on behalf of everyone corticosteroid, is used in medicines to treat many Occasionally, when these conditions are severe, Many people are offered a spare supply of these affected. For more information, please fill out and medical conditions, including some lung diseases. tablets that they can take at the first sign of a Corticosteroids are nothing to do with anabolic flare-up. This is useful if you can't get an What other chest conditions are
Regular gift by direct debit - regular donations
Inhaled steroids in asthma
steroids, used illegally by some athletes and appointment with your doctor straight away, or are great - they help us to plan for the future. treated with steroids?
bodybuilders. They are also different to female Since asthma is usually a long-term condition if you are going on holiday. It's also useful if Sign up for regular cash and raffle appeals -
hormones, such as those used in the contraceptive which makes your airways sensitive and inflamed, you've been admitted to hospital because of • Sarcoidosis - since this involves the lung tissue
keep up-to-date with our work by receiving regular pill and hormone replacement therapy.
you often need daily long-term inhaled steroids. asthma. By taking the tablets at the first sign of rather than the airways, steroid treatment is appeals and taking part in our raffle.
These steroids help your cough disappear and help a flare-up, you can prevent readmission. Payroll giving - an easy and tax-effective way of
How are steroids given?
to keep your airways open. This means you need making contributions directly from your salary.
Although steroid tablets make you feel hungrier, 1. Topically. This means that the medication is
less relief (rescue) inhaler. If treatment is stopped, • Tuberculosis (TB) - in very bad cases of TB
Take part in events - fun and challenging, you
short courses do not normally cause any of the steroid tablets may be given with TB medicines. can take part in one of our events or organise your given directly to where the illness is. For inflammation of the airways will come back. long-term side-effects listed over the page.
example: nose drops for hay fever; creams for Because the dose of steroids is low, side-effects They occasionally cause temporary indigestion • Lung cancer - in people with advanced lung
Get your company involved - your employer can
are unusual. Sometimes you can get thrush in or some change in bowel habits. If you become cancer, appetite, weight and general well-being support you, and us, in lots of ways - from charity Since the medication only goes to where your your mouth, but that is usually because inhaled ill while you are on steroid tablets, or if you are often improved by steroid tablets.
of the year, to matching whatever you raise.
illness is, the dose is small. Very little gets into the medicine sticks to the back of your throat. You come into contact with anyone with an infectious • Other - systemic steroids are also used in:
In honour gifts - donate an in-memoriam gift or
blood stream, so there are very few side-effects. can avoid this by adding a spacer or switching to disease - avoid people with chicken pox or (a) lung transplantation to prevent rejection open a Breath of Life tribute fund - donations in
a dry-powder inhaler. Speak to your GP or shingles - then you should visit your GP straight However, topical drugs can only travel a very short (b) treatment of lung prematurity in infants memory of a loved one are a very personal way to respiratory nurse about which is best for you.
away. People with diabetes need to keep a distance into the disease area, so they don't work (c) eosinophilic pneumonia and (d) cryptogenic remember someone special. To acknowledge this as well when the inflammation is severe.
Another uncommon problem is that your voice careful eye on their blood sugar level.
we have set up the Breath of Life funds as a lasting can become weak. This happens because some of For a short course, treatment can safely be treatment may be intravenous (injected into tribute that allows you to continue to support us in 2. Systemically. This means that the
the inhaled steroid lands on your vocal cords and stopped immediately. A 'steroid card' - which medication travels to the site of the disease. It weakens the muscles (all inhaled treatment has to records how much prednisolone you are on and Become a major giving sponsor - please contact
is normally given by tablet and absorbed into go through the voice box to reach your airways). how often you take it - is not necessary.
the Head of Fundraising on 020 7688 5587.
the bloodstream. Sometimes the medication is For information about steroid treatment for Leave a legacy - when you make a Will, not only
Common inhaled steroids include beclomethasone, Steroid tablets, long-term
COPD please order our booklet COPD - diagnosis do you have the chance to provide for your loved budesonide and fluticasone. These steroids vary Systemic drugs are used when topical medication and treatment, using the contact details overleaf.
ones but you can also help to create a better mainly in strength and how you take them.
There are a few people who cannot fully control can't treat the disease fully. The commonest In chest conditions (other than asthma) that future for those living with a lung condition.
asthma with a combination of inhalers and non- need steroids, you may be started on a high Donate now - you can donate now by completing
steroid tablets. They might even get worse dose. This is later reduced to the lowest dose

Source: http://www.severeasthma-birmingham.co.uk/assets/documents/Steroid%20treatment%20for%20asthma%20and%20other%20lung%20diseases%20-%20library%20file%20-%20Jan%20'08.pdf