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Budesonide is a type of corticosteroid medication administered through an inhaler and available only with a doctor's prescription. Doctors prescribe budesonide for the treatment of asthma.
Function
Budesonide functions by suppressing the activities of your immune system that contribute to inflammation of your airways. By limiting the amount of inflammation in your lungs, budesonide helps prevent asthma symptoms.
Effects
When used daily, budesonide helps limit the frequency and severity of asthma attacks. But the medication is not effective for stopping asthma attacks when they occur and should not be used as a rescue inhaler.
Use
Doctors typically prescribe one or two puffs of budesonide twice per day, reports the Mayo Clinic. Budesonide first begins to take effect within 24 to 48 hours after you begin use, but two to six weeks may pass before there is a noticeable reduction in your symptoms.
Risks
Budesonide has the potential to cause dysfunction of your adrenal glands, with symptoms like joint and muscle pain, fatigue, weakness, nausea, vomiting, low pressure and depression, warns the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Because budesonide suppresses your immune system, you may develop more bacterial, viral or fungal infections while using the medication.
Considerations
Doctors rarely prescribe budesonide for the treatment of asthma in pregnant women or children under 12 months. If you have a history of osteoporosis, cataracts, glaucoma, tuberculosis or milk protein allergies, it may not be safe for you to take budesonide, the Mayo Clinic cautions.
Source:
U.S. National Library of Medicine Daily Med: RHINOCORT AQUA (budesonide) spray, metered
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