Resumen

PEREZ PEREZ, Roidel; LOPEZ MARTINEZ, Alexis  y  FAJARDO PEREZ, Mario. Esteroides inhalados: pilar fundamental en el tratamiento actual del asma. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2003, vol.19, n.3, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-3038.

Bronchial asthma is one of the diseases that is more commonly faced by the Cuban physician, so a better knowledge of its physiopathology has brought about changes in the therapeutic strategy. With the objective of updating knowledge about steroid anti-inflammatory drugs and the use of devices for inhaling therapy, a literature review was made using data available in Medline, Medscape, Infomed and Doyma. This was accompanied by an outline of the physiopathological evolution of asthma and its effect on the present therapy. The most important aspects of inhaling therapy, the devices used as well as the most used drugs were summarized and it was concluded that inhalers are fundamental in asthma treatment, that they should be early used in chronic asthma cases, their adverse effects are minimal if adequately applied and that the correct use of these devices are of vital importance.

Palabras clave : ASTHMA [etiology]; ASTHMA [physiopathology]; RESPIRATORY THERAPY; NEBULIZERS AND VAPORZERS [utilization]; ANTI-INFLAMATORY AGENTS, STEROIDAL [therapeutic use]; ADMINISTRATION, INHALATION.