title: Prevalence of inhaled corticosteroid use among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the extent of inhaled corticosteroid use among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of medical records.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary-care university teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two consecutive patients prescribed an inhaled corticosteroid during hospitalization.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient demographics, inhaled corticosteroid regimen, respiratory diagnosis, and inhaled corticosteroid use before and during hospitalization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of patients (85%) were receiving their prescribed corticosteroid inhaler prior to admission. Beclomethasone dipropionate 250 micrograms/puff was the most commonly prescribed inhaled corticosteroid formulation accounting for 43% of the total corticosteroid inhaler orders. COPD was the most common respiratory diagnosis (43%) associated with inhaled corticosteroid use, followed by asthma (37%), COPD/asthma (13%), and no diagnosis (7%). During the study period, the proportion of all hospitalized patients with COPD who also received inhaled corticosteroid prescriptions (35%) was not significantly different from all hospitalized patients with asthma who received inhaled corticosteroid prescriptions (33%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rate of inhaled corticosteroid use far exceeds the rate expected among the general population of patients with COPD. Educational intervention is needed to encourage compliance with published guidelines for the management of COPD.
authors.affiliation: Toronto Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Jackevicius
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Chapman
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy; D001507:Beclomethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019819:Budesonide; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011282:Pregnenediones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D011282:Pregnenediones; D019819:Budesonide; D001507:Beclomethasone