Patient was educated on side effects of using steroid inhalers as follows:
- Hypertension
- Steroid inhaler use can result in retention of sodium and water and cause elevated blood pressure.
- Elevated blood sugars
- On long-term use, steroid inhalers can result in increased insulin resistance and contribute towards elevated blood sugars.
- Elevated blood sugars particularly can be an issue in diabetics with poor blood sugar control.
- Opportunistic fungal infection
- Steroid inhaler use 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 inhaler use.
- Constitutional symptoms, such as, nervousness, trouble sleeping, and irritability can occur secondary to chronic steroid use.
