Many asthmatic patients have significant nasal problems and proper management requires treatment of both the upper and the lower airway disease. Abstract 9 shows that a pharmacist can improve the management of a chronic condition like asthma in an HMO setting. Abstract 10 shows the benefit of an asthma education program. Abstract 11 indicates that long-term use of inhaled corticosteroids is not totally free of risk. Post-menopausal women, already risk for osteoporosis, may when on steroids get loss of bone mineral density.
Risk is related to dose.
2 Budesonide is more Cost-Effective than Sodium Cromoglyeate in the Treatment of Asthma in Children. A pharinaco-economic clinical trial was designed to resemble clinical practice in Sweden as closely as possible. The physicians were then free to treat the patients according to local clinical practice, on an open basis. Any additional therapy was allowed. At study end, the patients in the bud group fulfilled more criteria for asthma control than crom patients.