An otherwise healthy 10-year-old boy with a history of mild, persistent asthma is brought to the office because asthma attacks that have been increasing in frequency and severity. His asthma symptoms are controlled with an inhaled beta-agonist. His physician adds inhaled glucocorticoid therapy to control his symptoms effectively. What measure should this patient take to prevent oropharyngeal complication due to the new medication?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Poor inhalation technique can cause much of the medication to deposit on the oral mucous membranes, where it is ineffective and can lead to oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) (evidenced by white plaques that are easily scraped off). Patients can avoid this complication by using a spacer and rinsing the mouth after inhalation.

An Otherwise Healthy 10-Year-Old Boy with a History of Mild