COPD Patients Taking Inhaled Steroids

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With the source :

ScienceDaily (July 19, 2007) — Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary

Disease (COPD) are increasingly being prescribed inhaled corticosteroids to

control exacerbations of the disease, but a new study finds that the

anti-inflammatory drugs increase the chances that these patients will be

hospitalized for pneumonia

" In a large cohort of patients with COPD, we found that current inhaled

corticosteroid use was associated with a significant 70 percent increase in the

risk ofbeing hospitalized for pneumonia, " said the researchers. " Furthermore,

for the severest pneumonias leading to death within 30 days of hospitalization,

the riskwith current inhaled corticosteroid use was also significantly increased

..In their report, the researchers noted that the admission rate for pneumonia

increased with higher doses of inhaled steroids and that reduction in risk was

observed once the medications were stopped. Among all patients taking inhaled

steroids, there was a 53 percent increase in pneumonia deaths within 30 of

days being admitted to the hospital

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070716132725.htm

God Bless !!

dragonflymcs

Mayleen