Question

A 42-year-old patient with long-standing asthma brings a new prescription for a budesonide inhaler to the pharmacy. The pharmacist's medication record shows that the patient is also using oral prednisone as needed for acute asthma attacks, an albuterol inhaler PRN, montelukast 10 mg PO daily, and a triamcinolone inhaler b.i.d. What action indicates that the patient understands how to incorporate the budesonide into his asthma regimen?

Answer 1

The patient demonstrates understanding by recognizing budesonide as a long-term control medication to be used regularly, differentiating its use from that of the PRN albuterol inhaler for immediate relief, and aiming to reduce oral prednisone use for acute attacks.

Step-by-step explanation:

Understanding Asthma Medication Regimen

An action that indicates a 42-year-old patient with long-standing asthma understands how to incorporate the budesonide inhaler into his asthma regimen is if the patient acknowledges it as a long-term control medication. This understanding is crucial because budesonide is a corticosteroid that helps to reduce inflammation in the airways and prevent asthma attacks. The patient's asthma regimen already includes oral prednisone for acute attacks, a PRN albuterol inhaler for quick relief of symptoms, and montelukast, another maintenance medication, in addition to the triamcinolone inhaler.

It would be important for the patient to recognize that budesonide should be used regularly rather than as needed, in contrast to albuterol, which is a bronchodilator used for immediate symptom relief. Reducing the frequency of oral prednisone use and understanding the role of each medication in managing asthma would both be good indicators of patient comprehension.