Real-world evidence links long-term use of oral and inhaled steroids to adrenal insufficiency

Individuals taking steroid tablets for more than 3 months are over 6 times more likely to be diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency than those treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, according to research. In addition, they have a greater risk of being hospitalized for adrenal insufficiency, while long-term users of inhaled steroids have an increased risk of developing adrenal insufficiency but without any increase in the number of hospitalizations. Steroids, also called corticosteroids, are anti-inflammatory medicines used to treat various conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), allergies, arthritis and autoimmune diseases. When taking these widely-prescribed medicines, such as prednisolone,...