Use of steroids for first line treatment of asthma is debated

British guidelines recommend that inhaled short acting beta 2 agonists should be the first line treatment for asthma. On p 47 Strube argues for inhaled steroids to be used first: although bronchodilating beta 2 agonists give temporary clinical improvement, underlying airway inflammation persists and could produce long term structural lung damage. Early intervention with inhaled steroids could prevent this, he says. In response Rudolph argues that this hypothesis is unproved and that the treatment guidelines may be being misunderstood.


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Relevant Article

For and against: Should steroids be the first line treatment for asthma? • For • Against
George Strube and Michael Rudolf
BMJ 2000 320: 47-49. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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