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Updated: Aug 28, 2025

Bronchial Thermoplasty: A Novel Therapeutic Approach to Severe Asthma
Published on: November 4, 2010
How to step down asthma preventer treatment in patients with well-controlled asthma - more is not always better
Helen K Reddel1,2, Gloria J Foxley1,2, Sharon R Davis1,2
1Woolcock Institute of Medical Research (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0818-6239) and The University of Sydney.
Abstract:
Most of the benefit of asthma preventer inhalers is seen with low doses. However, many Australian patients are prescribed doses of inhaled corticosteroids that are higher than necessary to control their asthma. Prescribing unnecessarily high preventer doses increases the patient's risk of adverse effects. They may also increase the patient's out-of-pocket costs. Asthma guidelines recommend considering a step-down in preventer treatment after asthma has been well controlled for two to three months in adults and for six months in children. The step-down process should be individualised for each patient. Preventive therapy should not be stopped completely.
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