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Will Steroid Medication Increase One's Blood Glucose Level?
Question: Medicare provided a Nebulizer along with Budesonide Inhalation Suspension.I'm a Type 2 pre-diabetic
I'm concerned that the steroid in it will cause my blood glucose to rise.
QUESTIONS:
1. Will it cause the BG to rise?
2. During use period can one cease taking it without tapering off?
Thnx
XXXX
I'm concerned that the steroid in it will cause my blood glucose to rise.
QUESTIONS:
1. Will it cause the BG to rise?
2. During use period can one cease taking it without tapering off?
Thnx
XXXX
Brief Answer:
it's usually safe to use
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
inhaled corticosteroids may indeed increase blood glucose but in most cases then don't do much harm. In other words the doctor never hesitates to prescribe inhaled corticosteroids to a patient because of his blood sugar status, as the increase is not very significant.
Corticosteroids taking by mouth (particularly if their use lasts for more than 15-20 days or the dosage is high) do require tapering. Things are different with inhaled corticosteroids and we don't expect serious side effects after stopping them. Therefore tapering is not required, particularly if they have been used for only a short period of time.
Please let me know if you have more questions about this subject. I'll be glad to answer them.
Best regards!
it's usually safe to use
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
inhaled corticosteroids may indeed increase blood glucose but in most cases then don't do much harm. In other words the doctor never hesitates to prescribe inhaled corticosteroids to a patient because of his blood sugar status, as the increase is not very significant.
Corticosteroids taking by mouth (particularly if their use lasts for more than 15-20 days or the dosage is high) do require tapering. Things are different with inhaled corticosteroids and we don't expect serious side effects after stopping them. Therefore tapering is not required, particularly if they have been used for only a short period of time.
Please let me know if you have more questions about this subject. I'll be glad to answer them.
Best regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
There is a bit of a language barrier with the local doctor so I couldn’t get clarity on some questions.
He prescribed the Nebulizer because I have a frequent cough. Is the cough a function of inflammation, asthma or something else?
How is the Nebulizer intended to help?
What does it do?
He prescribed the Nebulizer because I have a frequent cough. Is the cough a function of inflammation, asthma or something else?
How is the Nebulizer intended to help?
What does it do?
Brief Answer:
it may help in some cases, it depends on the cause of the cough
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
patients with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or asthma may benefit from nebulized budesonide and bronchodilators. You haven't mentioned any bronchodilator though. Taking budesonide alone for cough (without any mention of bronchodilators) sounds a little strange to me. Receiving nebulized drugs is the most efficient way to treat pulmonary disorders so the nebulizer will help if there are solid indications for the nebulized drugs. Cough alone is not an indication without a history of COPD or asthma...
Budesonide is a corticosteroid and it may decrease inflammatory changes in the lungs. Such changes may occur more frequently during the course of infections in patients with a history of pulmonary disease. Bronchodilators may dilate the small airways and relieve cough if cough had been caused by constriction of the airways...
I hope this is not too complicated... the bottomline is that treatment for cough may vary depending on its cause. Patients with COPD or asthma may benefit from inhaled drugs; the rest of the patients are unlikely to do so.
Kind Regards!
it may help in some cases, it depends on the cause of the cough
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
patients with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or asthma may benefit from nebulized budesonide and bronchodilators. You haven't mentioned any bronchodilator though. Taking budesonide alone for cough (without any mention of bronchodilators) sounds a little strange to me. Receiving nebulized drugs is the most efficient way to treat pulmonary disorders so the nebulizer will help if there are solid indications for the nebulized drugs. Cough alone is not an indication without a history of COPD or asthma...
Budesonide is a corticosteroid and it may decrease inflammatory changes in the lungs. Such changes may occur more frequently during the course of infections in patients with a history of pulmonary disease. Bronchodilators may dilate the small airways and relieve cough if cough had been caused by constriction of the airways...
I hope this is not too complicated... the bottomline is that treatment for cough may vary depending on its cause. Patients with COPD or asthma may benefit from inhaled drugs; the rest of the patients are unlikely to do so.
Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I think I'll call the Pulmonologist and ask why he prescribed the nebulizer in light of the fact that i have neither COPD or asthma. I don't have any problems breathing but cough fairly often outside of flu season but cough severely and frequently during flu season. I'm feeling reluctant to inhale the steroid with my type 2 pre-diabetes. i had a steroid shot in my shoulder 6 months ago and it shot my blood glucose for about 110 to 175. Will this steroid inhalation have the same effect as an injection?
Thnx,
JD
Thnx,
JD
Brief Answer:
normally not...
Detailed Answer:
If you've had an intra-articular shot then blood sugar is expected to rise, sometimes to very high levels and this effect may last for several days after the injection. Although the inhalation may also cause your blood sugar to rise, it's not usually a clinically significant elevation. Some studies have shown higher blood sugar elevations than others but this issue is controversial. If your doctor has a good explanation for prescribing budesonide then you'd better take it. You can always stop it if your blood sugar gets higher than normal as its effects won't last for long.
Kind Regards!
normally not...
Detailed Answer:
If you've had an intra-articular shot then blood sugar is expected to rise, sometimes to very high levels and this effect may last for several days after the injection. Although the inhalation may also cause your blood sugar to rise, it's not usually a clinically significant elevation. Some studies have shown higher blood sugar elevations than others but this issue is controversial. If your doctor has a good explanation for prescribing budesonide then you'd better take it. You can always stop it if your blood sugar gets higher than normal as its effects won't last for long.
Kind Regards!
Note: For further follow-up, discuss your blood glucose reports with our diabetologist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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