Fluticasone
- Class: Inhaled corticosteroid
- Used for: asthma
- Say it: floo-TIK-uh-sohn
- Forms: inhaler, nasal spray
FLUTICASONE keeps the airway FLUTE playing clear — but only if it is practised every single day.
An inhaled steroid calms inflammation over days to weeks. Taken only when wheezy it never reaches that state, so the patient gets the side effects without the protection.
Fluticasone damps down the inflammation that makes airways twitchy, but it takes days to weeks to work. In an attack it does nothing — that is albuterol's job.
Side effects
Common: oral thrush, hoarse voice, sore throat
Serious: adrenal suppression at high doses
Typical dose
100–500 micrograms twice daily inhaled
Divide the daily dose in two. Fluticasone furoate and propionate are different strengths — never swap the numbers between them.
Check yourself
A patient uses her inhaled fluticasone only when she feels wheezy. Why is this wrong?
- It works by reducing inflammation over days to weeks, so it must be taken daily
- It is a reliever that should be used more often, not less
- It only works when combined with an antihistamine
- It should be taken only during an attack
Show answer
A. It works by reducing inflammation over days to weeks, so it must be taken daily
An inhaled corticosteroid changes the state of the airway lining gradually. Taken occasionally it never reaches that state, so the patient gets the side effects without the protection — and keeps relying on the reliever.
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