Safety Considerations of Inhaled Corticosteroids in the Elderly

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) are widely used in the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. However, high-dose regimens and long-term use of ICSs have the potential to cause a variety of local and systemic side effects such as candidiasis, cataracts, glaucoma, and osteoporosis. The use of ICSs can also be associated with the risk of bone fractures, diabetes mellitus and pneumonia. These ICS-related side effects are of particular importance in elderly patients due to the presence of comorbidities and age-related behavioral, cognitive, and psychological problems, which can all interact with inhaled treatment. We reviewed the available literature on the clinically relevant side effects of ICSs in the elderly to provide practical measures to properly monitor and manage the risk of ICSs in the geriatric population. Inspection of the mouth, monitoring of ocular pressure, and use of bone-protective drugs may be necessary in patients on prolonged ICS therapy. Above all, the use of the lowest possible ICS dose and a careful re-assessment of the inhalation procedure should be recommended. Taken together, these observations suggest that physicians should use ICSs appropriately for those patients in whom the benefit will outweigh the risk, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with previous frequent exacerbations. Given the paucity of information on the topic and the need to extrapolate the results from studies with broader age ranges, we strongly encourage the design of specifically tailored clinical studies in the elderly.