Systemic corticosteroids (CSs) are generally accepted as treatment for acute exacerbations of asthma. In contrast, inhaled corticosteroids (ICs) have been used for the long-term management of asthma but are not widely accepted for the treatment of asthma exacerbations. The onset of action of ICs in acute asthma begins in 1 hour. In patients with mild to moderate exacerbation, administration of high-dose ICs may decrease the need for hospital admission and the number of symptomatic days.
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