Low-Dose Inhaled Corticosteroid Therapy and Risk of Emergency Department Visits for Asthma

Abstract

ASTHMA ACCOUNTS for nearly 2 million visits to the emergency department (ED) per year, making it the leading cause of ED use among children and young adults in the United States.¹ Despite the "best" in-hospital therapy, 30% of these patients will have a relapse within few weeks to months of discharge, leading to recurrent use of EDs for rescue care and necessitating frequent absenteeism from school or work.² Moreover, once a relapse occurs, the risk of asthma-related morbidity and mortality rises sharply.³