Patient was educated on side effects of using Symbicort as follows:
- Hypertension
- Steroid in Symbicort can result in retention of sodium and water and cause elevated blood pressure.
- Elevated blood sugars
- On long-term use, steroid in Symbicort can result in increased insulin resistance and contribute towards elevated blood sugars.
- This particularly can be an issue in diabetics with poor blood sugar control.
- Opportunistic fungal infection
- Symbicort can result in opportunistic fungal infection in the oral cavity, such as, candida with the individual presenting with white patches on the tongue and in the oral cavity.
- This is secondary to immunosuppression due to the steroid content of Symbicort.
- Osteoporosis
- Chronic use of steroids can result in osteoporosis with weakening of the skeletal framework and pathological fractures.
