Guide To Budesonide

Budesonide is a corticosteroid. It can be taken as an oral tablet, nasal spray, inhaler, and nebulization solution. Certain brands are intended for use in children and adults. However, some brands are only appropriate for use in adults. Patients should take this medicine in the morning, and the tablet needs to be consumed with water. Patients should not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice during treatment.

Budesonide is helpful for many different conditions. It is a strong prescription asthma treatment, particularly as a prescription asthma inhaler. Some patients may take it as a treatment for Crohn's disease or other conditions. Some report that it can be a COPD treatment as well. Of course, patients must understand this medication before they start looking at budesonide prices.

How It Works

Budesonide is a corticosteroid. It works by reducing inflammation in an individual's body. This medication reverses both capillary permeability and lysosomal stabilization. This mechanism is responsible for the reduction in inflammation. In addition, this drug helps regulate protein synthesis. It also changes the migration of fibroblasts and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The liver metabolizes this medication.

When inhaled, this medication starts to work within twenty-four hours. If it is given with a nebulizer, it will start to work within two to eight days. However, with nasal administration, this medication can work within ten hours. The peak effects are seen within one to two weeks when it is inhaled.

Uses And Benefits

Asthma patients use an inhaled form of budesonide daily. It helps reduce the number of asthma attacks and the severity of the attacks. This medication may be taken in combination with bronchodilators or other asthma medicines to make breathing easier. Although it helps reduce the number and severity of asthma attacks, this drug is not a rescue medication. This means that it will not stop an asthma attack that has already started.

This medication may also be considered as a treatment for mild to moderate Crohn's disease. It reduces inflammation in the digestive tract, and it helps improve symptom control. In addition, certain brands of this medication treat adults with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis.

Potential Side Effects

Of course, this medication has some potential side effects. The most common side effects include tiredness, indigestion, dizziness, and headaches. Patients may also notice back or joint pain. Nausea, vomiting, constipation, bloating, and stomach pain have been reported as well. This medicine can cause cold symptoms, including sneezing and a sore throat, and patients may also experience painful urination.

Patients should call their doctor immediately if they notice serious side effects while on this medication. Examples include rectal bleeding, lightheadedness, swollen ankles, and easy bruising. Two others are increased facial hair and menstrual changes. If patients have too much of this medicine in their blood, they may experience an increase in body fat. Specifically, they may notice an increase in body fat around their face, neck, back, or waist. In these cases, it may be necessary to have their doctor adjust their dose.

Precautions To Remember

Patients must review their medical history with a doctor before taking this medication. Points of note include a history of high blood pressure, tuberculosis, liver disease, or eczema. The patient should also let their doctor know about any history of measles, chickenpox, or other infections. In addition, their doctor will ask if they have a family history of glaucoma, cataracts, or diabetes.

This review is vital, as budesonide may not be safe for individuals with a personal or family history of these conditions. Patients should not breastfeed during treatment with this medication. Since this medicine can weaken the immune system, patients should inform their doctor right away if they notice signs of infection. Examples of such signs include tiredness, fever, chills, and vomiting.

Potential Medication Interactions

Patients need to review their current medications with their doctor before taking this one. The review should include prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and supplements. This is because budesonide interacts with more than three hundred 300 other medicines. Out of these, it is associated with at least fifty major potential medication interactions.

Patients who take medications that could cause bleeding or bruising should talk to their doctor before using budesonide. In particular, patients should let their doctor know if they take any nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen. Budesonide can interact with clopidogrel and other antiplatelet drugs. It also interacts with blood thinners, including warfarin and dabigatran. Patients who take aldesleukin may not be able to use budesonide.