Asthma patients show better compliance with oral medication

NEW YORK Asthma patients taking oral medications, as opposed to inhalers, are more faithful to their medication regimens than patients using inhalers, a study released by health insurer WellPoint’s research division suggests.

The HealthCore study found that inhaled asthma medications are more clinically effective, but oral medications might be more convenient for some.

Costs to the health care system in the United States related to asthma were $12.7 billion in 2002, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 22.9 million Americans have the disease, according to 2006 figures.