Ciclesonide
About Ciclesonide
Ciclesonide is an inhaled prescription medicine used to prevent and control long-term asthma symptoms in adults and children. It works directly in the airways to reduce chronic inflammation, helping you breathe more easily over time. Please note that this medication is a preventive treatment and is not designed to relieve sudden, severe asthma attacks.
To achieve the best results, you must take Ciclesonide daily and consistently, even on days when you feel completely healthy. Since this is an inhaled medication, it does not depend on meals and can be taken either with or without food. Making simple, asthma-friendly lifestyle adjustments—such as keeping your living space free from dust and pollen—can also significantly improve your breathing outcomes.
While using Ciclesonide, some people may experience mild, localised side effects like throat irritation or minor coughing. These symptoms are usually temporary, but you should contact your doctor right away if you notice persistent white patches in your mouth or face sudden, severe breathing difficulties immediately after inhaling the medicine.
Before starting your treatment, talk to your doctor if you have a history of tuberculosis, untreated viral or fungal infections, or eye conditions like glaucoma. Do not take this medicine if you are currently experiencing a sudden, severe asthma attack that requires rapid relief, or if you have an untreated systemic fungal infection.
Certain medications, particularly strong antiviral and antifungal drugs, can interact with Ciclesonide by slowing down how your body processes it, which may increase your risk of side effects. If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, breastfeeding, or are an older adult, talk to your doctor or pharmacist to ensure this medicine is appropriate for you.
Uses of Ciclesonide
Medicinal Benefits
Using Ciclesonide as prescribed helps control asthma and improve your breathing over time. Here are the key benefits you can expect:
- Provides targeted relief: Ciclesonide provides targeted, long-term relief by delivering the medicine directly into your lungs. Because the treatment focuses right where the inflammation occurs, it helps improve your overall lung capacity and day-to-day breathing comfort with minimal impact on the rest of your body.
- Reduces asthma flare-ups: Using this controller medication consistently helps reduce the frequency and severity of asthma flare-ups.
- Reduces reliance on rescue inhalers: Over time, this daily protection can significantly decrease your reliance on quick-relief rescue inhalers, giving you greater confidence and freedom to enjoy your daily activities.
Directions for Use
- Check the label for directions and use Ciclesonide as advised by the doctor.
- Place the mouthpiece in your mouth and breathe in deeply and slowly through your mouth. When you have breathed in fully, try to hold your breath for about 10 seconds. Remove the inhaler from your mouth and then breathe out gently.
- Rinse your mouth with water and spit the water out.
- Do not swallow the water.
Storage
Side Effects of Ciclesonide
Common Side Effects (Usually mild):
- Throat dryness or irritation
- Hoarse voice or difficulty speaking
- Mild coughing or headache
- Unpleasant taste in your mouth
Serious Side Effects (Consult your doctor right away):
- Creamy white patches in your mouth or on your throat (signs of oral thrush)
- Sudden wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath immediately after inhalation
- Signs of an allergic reaction, including skin rash, itching, or swelling of the face, tongue, or throat
- Vision changes, such as blurred vision, eye pain, or seeing halos around lights
Medicines Containing this Salt
View AllDrug Warnings
- Rinse and spit every time: Always rinse your mouth with water and spit it out after every single use to wash away excess medicine and prevent oral thrush.
- Do not use it for sudden attacks: Keep your fast-acting rescue inhaler with you at all times, as Ciclesonide will not work to stop an acute asthma attack.
- Track your remaining sprays: Keep an eye on the dose counter on your inhaler to ensure you obtain a refill before your medicine runs out completely.
- Keep the device dry: Clean the mouthpiece once a week with a clean, dry tissue; never submerge the canister in water or wash any part of the inhaler under a tap.
Drug Interactions
- Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (such as ketoconazole, itraconazole, or ritonavir): These medications can slow down your body's ability to clear Ciclesonide, potentially increasing the level of steroid in your system and raising the risk of systemic side effects.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
consult your doctorIt is not known if alcohol interacts with Ciclesonide. Please consult the doctor.
Pregnancy
cautionCiclesonide belongs to pregnancy category C. Please consult the doctor if you are pregnant; your doctor will prescribe only if the benefits outweigh the risks.
Breast Feeding
cautionIt is not known if Ciclesonide passes into breast milk. Caution should be used when administering Ciclesonide to breastfeeding women.
Driving
consult your doctorIt is unknown if Ciclesonide affects your ability to drive. Drive or operate machinery only if you are alert.
Liver
consult your doctorPlease consult the doctor if you have liver impairment/liver disease or any concerns regarding this.
Kidney
consult your doctorPlease consult the doctor if you have kidney impairment/kidney disease or any concerns regarding this.
Children
cautionThe safety and effectiveness of Ciclesonide in children below 12 years have not been established.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Identify and limit exposure to triggers: Keep track of your asthma triggers, such as pollen, pet dander, mould, or cold air, and take active steps to minimise contact with them.
- Avoid tobacco smoke: Stay away from first-hand and second-hand tobacco smoke, as it damages your lungs, triggers severe asthma symptoms, and reduces the effectiveness of your controller medicine.
- Monitor lung health: Use a peak flow meter regularly if advised by your doctor to track your lung performance and recognize early signs of asthma worsening.
- Stay well-hydrated: Drink plenty of water daily to help keep the mucus in your airways thin and easier to clear.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Asthma: It is a chronic (long-term) respiratory condition in which airways narrow, swell, and produce extra mucus, leading to difficulty in breathing. The symptoms of asthma include wheezing (whistling sound while breathing), shortness of breath, chest tightness and cough, especially at night. The treatment for asthma includes medication, breathing exercises and self-care.
FAQs
Ciclesonide is used to treat Asthma.
Ciclesonide works by decreasing the irritation and swelling in the airways. This helps ease breathing.
Ciclesonide helps control asthma but does not cure it. It might take four weeks or longer before you feel the full benefit of the medicine.
Ciclesonide is safe when exactly used as prescribed by your doctor. However, it may cause some side effects like headache, stuffy or runny nose, hoarseness, joint pain, and nausea.
Ciclesonide is more effective than other inhalational corticosteroids because of its tiny particles. These small particles can reach deep into the small airways, where inflammation often occurs. In contrast, larger particles from other inhalers tend to stay in the larger airways and don't reach the smaller ones, making Ciclesonide a more targeted and effective treatment.
If you forget to take a dose of Ciclesonide, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed one and take the next one as usual. Do not take a double dose to make up for it. Try to establish a routine to take your medication as prescribed. Consult your doctor if you are unsure.
Yes, Ciclesonide is effective when exactly used as prescribed by your doctor. It is effectively used to prevent difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness, and cough caused by asthma in adults and children aged 12 years and older.
The common side effects of Ciclesonide may include headache, stuffy or runny nose, hoarseness, joint pain, and nausea. Most of these side effects may not require medical attention and resolve gradually over time. However, consult the doctor if the side effects persist or worsen.
No, Ciclesonide is a long-term controller medicine that must be taken daily to prevent symptoms. It does not work fast enough to stop an active, sudden asthma attack. You must use your rapid-acting rescue inhaler for quick relief. Talk to your doctor if you do not have a rescue inhaler.
Rinsing your mouth and spitting the water out removes any remaining medicine from your tongue and throat. This simple step significantly reduces your risk of developing a local fungal mouth infection, commonly known as oral thrush. Talk to your doctor if you develop white spots or pain in your mouth.
No, you should continue using Ciclesonide daily even when you feel completely fine. Stopping the medication suddenly can cause the inflammation in your airways to return, leading to a recurrence of asthma symptoms. Talk to your doctor before making any changes to your routine.
The use of Ciclesonide during pregnancy or breastfeeding requires careful clinical consideration. Your healthcare provider will help weigh the benefit of keeping your asthma controlled against any potential risks. Talk to your doctor to determine the safest plan for you and your baby.
Because Ciclesonide is inhaled directly into the lungs and activated locally, very little medicine enters your general circulation. This makes systemic steroid side effects, such as weight gain or mood changes, much less likely than with oral steroid tablets. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about these symptoms.
To prevent buildup, wipe the mouthpiece of your inhaler once a week with a clean, dry tissue or cloth. Never wash the canister or submerge any part of the inhaler in water. Talk to your pharmacist if you need advice on how to care for your device.
When inhaled corticosteroids are used long-term in paediatric patients, doctors may monitor their growth rate as a precaution. However, keeping asthma well-controlled is also vital for a child's overall development. Talk to your doctor to understand how your child's growth and health will be monitored.
Author Details
