What role for {blacktriangledown}ciclesonide in asthma?

doi:10.1136/dtb.2007.10.0003

Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 2007;45:86-88; doi:10.1136/dtb.2007.10.0003

What role for ${blacktriangledown}$ ciclesonide in asthma?

Inhaled corticosteroid therapy is an important part of asthmamanagement.¹ In England last year, over 8.4 million prescriptionsfor an inhaled corticosteroid (not including combination products)were dispensed in the community, at a total net cost to theNHS of around £138 million.² Most of these prescriptionswere for beclometasone dipropionate (79% of items, £81million);fluticasone propionate and budesonide accounted for 11% (£30million) and 9% (£25 million), respectively. Around 0.3%of items were for ${blacktriangledown}$ ciclesonide (Alvesco – Altana Pharma),a newer inhaled corticosteroid. Here we consider whether ciclesonideoffers any advantages over other, more established inhaled corticosteroids.