Why Are Corticosteroids & Bronchodilators Used Together?

Corticosteroids and bronchodilators treat lung diseases, especially chronic obstructive airway disorders such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.

In these types of diseases, inflammation and muscle spasms in the airways make breathing difficult. Corticosteroids are a class of drugs used to control inflammation. Bronchodilators are used to relax muscles in the air passages. As a result, corticosteroids and bronchodilators make breathing easier.

Indications

• Using corticosteroids and bronchodilators together is the most effective way to treat diseases such as asthma and COPD. Corticosteroids alone would treat the accompanying lung inflammation and mucus production but would not relieve the muscle spasms that make breathing difficult. In contrast, bronchodilators would relax the airways but not reduce inflammation. Since there is no single medication that is both an anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxer, corticosteroids and bronchodilators are used together to offer maximum relief.

Corticosteroids

• Inflammation is the body's response to injury or foreign invasion. It is like an army that attacks when threatened and then retreats. The body's natural corticosteroids control inflammation. In some diseases, including asthma and COPD, the army fails to retreat. As a result, synthetic corticosteroids are required to control inflammation. The synthetic steroid medications fluticasone, budesonide, mometasone and triamcinolone are examples of those prescribed for long-term control of lung inflammation.

Bronchodilators

• Bronchodilators cause the smooth muscle of the air passages to relax. This allows the airways to expand and makes breathing easier. Bronchodilators bind to smooth muscle receptors. Chemicals are released that tell the airways to relax and expand.

  Another type of bronchodilator prevents airway constriction by binding to the sensory nerve endings of the airway linings and preventing muscle contraction.

  Bronchodilators can be short-acting, such as albuterol, levalbuterol, pirbuterol and ipatroium, and long-acting, such as tiotropium, salmeterol, and formoterol.

Administering Medications

• Corticosteroids and bronchodilators are usually inhaled together using a hand-held inhaler or a machine known as a nebulizer. Inhalers deliver a measured dose of medication in one shot. Nebulizers create a fine mist of the drug solution, which is inhaled through a tube for 5 to 10 minutes.

Precautions

• The devices containing both corticosteroids and bronchodilators are meant for long-term disease control. They are not meant to counter acute shortness of breath.