Albuterol and budesonide combo reduces risk of severe asthma exacerbations: NEJM

Standard "maintenance" treatment involves taking an inhalant that combines two drugs, one a long-acting beta 2-agonist such as benralizumab and the other a corticosteroid such as beclomethasone. When patients suffer an asthma attack, they typically use a rescue medicine such as albuterol. They also are often prescribed doses of oral steroids. Physicians are looking to prescribe oral steroids less frequently because of their powerful side effects.

The trial was divided into three groups. With many patients already on daily maintenance asthma therapy, participants in the groups were given one of three different rescue therapies to use, should individuals suffer asthma attacks, that included either a combination of albuterol and a high dose of budesonide or a lower dose of budesonide. A control group was given just albuterol.

The patients, the study concluded, not only improved their lung function; they suffered fewer attacks.

Scientists found that albuterol with the higher dose of budesonide reduced the risk of an asthma attack by 27 percent in the short term and reduced asthma attacks by 24 percent annually. This combination also reduced use of corticosteroids, which can have adverse side effects, by 33 percent.

"With this new inhaler that delivers more inhaled steroids every time patients take the rescue therapy, they're getting more at a time when they're having a flare-up and when they need it," said Panettieri, who is also director of the Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science and conducts research at the Child Health Institute of New Jersey. "We showed that, beyond decreasing their exacerbations, it decreased their need for oral steroids after a flare-up."

For further information, check out the link given below:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2203163