Steroids and COPD

Many people who take steroids for their COPD condition show a remarkable reduction in symptoms. Do they however actually do anything to stop the progress of their condition by taking these medications? According to research by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the answer is no.

Their research shows that while the symptoms are reduced, the damage going on inside the lungs continues at the same rate of progression that it would if they did not take any medication at all. Patients with COPD were given six puffs of Azmacort, twice a day, and a control group was administered a placebo. At the end of three years, the damage to the lungs of each group was assessed. After study, it was concluded that there was no difference in lung decline between the two study groups.

Even though they felt better, the patients on steroids actually showed signs of damage, with no increase in lung function. Researchers found that those on the inhaled steroids actually had losses of bone density and bruising that were not found in the other group.

Researchers concluded that inhaled steroids can cause losses of vitamin D and calcium as a result of the treatments and that without supplementing the diet with these vitamins and minerals, potentially severe damage could occur. These vitamins and minerals, available over the counter, should therefore be a part of the treatment of any patient on steroids for their respiratory condition.

It was also noted that for many of these patients, the medications performed at less than optimum levels because the patients did not follow instructions on taking them. It was estimated that many patients only took the medications at a rate of 60% their recommended frequency. Again, patients using these medications can avoid this problem, as can all of us, simply by following their physician's recommended dosages and frequency of medication at all times. This, to me, only makes common sense.

For many of us, the feeling we get after taking an inhaled steroid, gives us the false hope that we are actually doing something to improve our lung function, when in reality we are simply covering up the damage that is going on. The question then becomes, are we fooling ourselves?

As a COPD patient, I feel that since COPD has no cure, anything that can be done to reduce the symptoms is important. If we did not treat the symptoms, live would have much less quality than it does when these treatments are used, and even if they do not actually do anything for our physical condition, the feeling they give is worth the effort. In the end, isn't it best to make the patient feel better when the condition is incurable.

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