Patient was educated on side effects of using steroid inhalers as follows:
- Osteoporosis
- Chronic use of steroid inhalers can result in osteoporosis with weakening of the skeletal framework and pathological fractures.
- Secondary bacterial and viral infections
- Due to the immunosuppression caused by the steroid inhaler, individuals using them are more prone to secondary bacterial and viral infections of respiratory tract.
- Patients can present with signs and symptoms of infection, such as, fever, throat irritation, productive cough, and stomach upset.
- Hypokalemia
- Chronic use of steroid inhaler can result in hypokalemia giving rise to symptoms such as, irregular heartbeat, palpitations, dizziness, tingling, and muscle cramps.
