Our recent survey of 1,205 people with asthma in Ireland has shown worrying signs of potentially high levels of uncontrolled asthma, including worrying levels of oral corticosteroids use – over 43% of people with asthma had taken steroid tablets at least twice in the past year, with 20% having taken them more than three times.
Below, you’ll find a list of tips for healthcare professionals treating patients with asthma:
- Inhaled therapy should be optimised to minimise the need for oral corticosteroids by offering asthma patients inhaler technique assessment and education as often as needed and ensuring all patients have an up-to-date written asthma action plan.
- GPs should conduct an immediate review of asthma management, treatment and care if their patient has experienced two or more asthma attacks in a year that required oral corticosteroids treatment.
- GPs should consider a referral for specialist advice if an asthma patient is in need of prolonged, regular, or high-dose courses of oral corticosteroids.
- Add-on of low doses of oral corticosteroids should only be considered for adults with poor symptom control and/or frequent asthma attacks despite good inhaler technique and adherence with Step 4 treatment, and after exclusion of other contributory factors and other add-on treatment including biologics where available or affordable.
- Any introduction of oral corticosteroids or inhaled steroid medication for the first time (or if a healthcare professional has a concern that a patient is avoiding taking inhaled steroids) should involve some guidance, education, and reassurance from a healthcare professional to help a patient to combat their 'steroid hesitancy'.
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