Comparing inhaled corticosteroids.

There are currently available 5 different inhaled corticosteroids, in a variety of different inhalation delivery devices. In the near future there will certainly be more inhaled corticosteroids in newer inhalation delivery devices available in the United States. Tremendous amounts of information will be made available about the relative advantages and disadvantages of these new products. Most of this information will relate to measures of potency, pharmacokinetic profiles, and technical issues about the ease of use. The respiratory care practitioner should be aware that estimating the clinical benefits from the topical anti-inflammatory effects of these newer products will be difficult to determine from this information. Also difficult to understand will be the effects of easier to use inhalation delivery devices on patient adherence to prescribed inhaled corticosteroid dosing regimens. Information from well designed clinical trials should be the basis for comparing presently available and newly developed inhaled corticosteroids.