Pulmicort: What Is It And What Is It For?
Pulmicort is a budesonide preparation for administration by inhalation via nebulization of this active ingredient. Budesonide is a corticosteroid medication that is marketed under different forms of administration, each indicated for different pathologies.
In this case, pulmicort is an inhaled form of administration indicated for maintenance treatment with glucocorticoids to control the underlying airway inflammation in patients with bronchial asthma.
In other words, it is indicated for the maintenance treatment of diseases that occur with airway inflammation, such as asthma or COPD, which we will talk about later.
However, it is important to note that this medicine is not indicated for acute asthma attacks once they have started. It must be used regularly, following the doctor’s directions.
Furthermore, it is also used for the treatment of subglottic laryngitis where hospitalization is indicated.
This active ingredient was marketed in 1981, despite the patent having been issued in 1973. Upon entering the market, it was indicated for the treatment of asthma.
It is currently included in the list of essential medicines created by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Budesonide administration methods
Pulmicort is a budesonide preparation for administration by inhalation. However, budesonide can also be administered via other routes, as mentioned above. Between them:
- Oral use : its pharmaceutical form is in tablets and is mainly used for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and microscopic colitis.
- Nasal spray: This form of administration is indicated for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and nasal polyposis.
- Suppositories or other rectal forms : in this case, budesonide is indicated for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and microscopic colitis.
What is COPD?
COPD or chronic obstructive disease is a pathology characterized by being chronic, as its name implies, and affecting the airflow of the lungs. It usually appears in patients who have been exposed to toxic particles for a long time. These particles include those that make up tobacco.
Patients suffering from this disease are more likely to suffer from other conditions such as some heart disease, lung cancer and other pathologies.
On the other hand, with regard to symptoms, they usually do not appear until the disease is relatively advanced and has caused significant damage. In addition, symptoms tend to get worse over time, especially if the patient is a smoker.
The most characteristic symptom is daily coughing and mucus production. Others are:
- Pressure in the chest.
- Lack of energy.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Respiratory tract infections.
- Whistles when breathing.
Mechanism of action: how does pulmicort exert its effect on the body?
As we already know, pulmicort contains budesonide, which is a glucocorticoid. These drugs have a great anti-inflammatory effect, among many others, such as depression of the immune system or changes in metabolism.
Therefore, it is thanks to these effects that this medicine is effective against this type of disease. It is capable of producing a potent local anti-inflammatory effect, as well as inhibiting the release of inflammatory mediators and the cytokine-mediated immune response.
However, the mechanism of the anti-inflammatory activity of this drug in the nasal mucosa is still unknown. Glucocorticoids are natural hormones that prevent or suppress inflammation and immune responses when given in pharmacological doses.
These effects are triggered in different cells, such as mast cells, eosinophils or lymphocytes, among others, and in mediators involved in allergic and non-allergic inflammation mediated by histamine, eicosanoids, leukotrienes and cytokines.
Conclusion on pulmicort
Pulmicort is a medicine containing budesonide and is indicated for the maintenance treatment of respiratory tract diseases such as asthma or COPD. It is a nebulizer that is administered by inhalation.
Like other corticosteroids, long-term discontinuation of treatment with this drug should be gradual. If you stop treatment suddenly, serious health consequences can occur. Therefore, as we have always indicated, it is essential to follow your doctor’s guidelines.
