Inhalers pose risk of side effects

Respiratory specialists have shed light on an increasing list of side effects suffered by asthma patients using inhalers.

They felt the negative implications of inhalers have contributed to the decline in their popularity.

In the UAE, research shows that 15 per cent of the population suffers from asthma, the highest in the world, and they alarmingly pointed out 40 per cent of the frequencies occur in children.

Over the years, steroid-based inhalers (corticosteroids) have transformed asthma treatment. However, steroid-based medications are hormonal, which means that taking such medications could disrupt the normal production of hormones in the body, causing both reversible and irreversible changes. Continued use could result in many health complications, they noted.

Also, the convenience in its usage and its efficacy has been frequently debated, increasing the public's demand for a more convenient asthma medication.

The market is saturated with different types of inhalers and sufferers are often asked to learn using several of them. Unfortunately for many victims, they don't have the luxury of time.

One of the reasons cited affecting patient compliance to inhalers is the fact that it requires precise co-ordination and good timing between activation and inhalation. People with arthritis or poor strength in their hands may also have difficulty using inhalers. Many patients also find it difficult to hold their breath after inhalation. The immediate benefit of using such medication is also in question.

Currently, the most innovative drugs are said to be the "leukotriene receptor antagonists" which play an important role in asthma therapy and offer advantages over other currently available treatments, such as excellent tolerability, oral route of administration, once-daily dosage and proven efficacy in a wide range of patients, including children.

The fact that it is also non-hormonal treatment as compared to the other asthma medications available in the market is a medical relief.

"The convenience of taking leukotriene receptor antagonist-based medication can greatly enhance patient compliance in asthma therapy," said Dr Osama Ibrahim, General Practitioner-Pediatrician at Al Sayegh Medical Centre in Dubai.

Oral delivery of asthma medications overcomes the problem of patient compliance.

The benefits of taking a single pill to control the respiratory disorder have a direct impact on a patient's attitude towards asthma therapy, he indicated.

Inhaler use could result in any or all of the following side effects:
- Liver damage and cancers
- High blood pressure and heart diseases
- Increase risk of ligament and tendon problems
- Severe acne
- Baldness
- Stroke and blood clots