Pulmonary Disease

Answer 4 Add a long-acting ß-agonist such as salmeterol or formoterol to his fluticasone therapy. Oral cortico-steroids such as prednisone are usually reserved for patients with acute exacerbations of asthma symptoms and PEFs below 50% of predicted. Some patients with exacerbations and PEFs between 50% and 70% are treated with prednisone. This patient has moderate, persistent asthma. Increasing the dose of his inhaled corticosteroid or adding a long-acting ß-agonist are both acceptable treatment options. Since long-term treatment with high-dose inhaled corticosteroids may lead to complications, adding a long-acting bronchodilator may be preferred. Click here to return to the questions

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