{
  "id": 1862338,
  "title": "Inhalers and blood sugar: Can asthma or COPD medicines raise glucose levels?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/inhalers-and-blood-sugar-can-asthma-or-copd-medicines-raise-glucose-1862338",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-19T04:00:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express - Lifestyle",
    "slug": "the-indian-express-lifestyle",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/inhalers-blood-sugar-steroid-asthma-copd-medicines-10834396/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Asthma and COPD are commonly treated with inhalers, which open airways or reduce inflammation. Regular users may wonder if these medicines affect blood glucose levels, especially if they have diabetes or monitor their sugar closely. Inhaled corticosteroids, a type of inhaler, can enter the bloodstream to some extent, potentially influencing glucose levels, although the impact varies by drug, dose, and usage method. Steroid-containing inhalers have a greater potential to affect glucose due to their systemic absorption, which mimics systemic steroid use. Higher potency steroids and larger particle formulations are more likely to cause systemic effects. Most healthy users experience a minor rise in blood sugar, but those with already fragile glucose regulation, such as those with diabetes, prediabetes, or metabolic risk factors, are more susceptible. Long-term use of high-dose inhaled corticosteroids increases the risk. The key factor is the total corticosteroid dose and duration of use, not the type of inhaler. People with diabetes should monitor their glucose closely after starting or changing an inhaler, keeping a log of inhaler timing alongside glucose readings. Discuss any persistent changes with a healthcare professional to adjust diabetes medication, inhaler formulation, or dose as needed.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Inhalers and blood sugar: Can asthma or COPD medicines raise glucose levels?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/inhalers-and-blood-sugar-can-asthma-or-copd-medicines-raise-glucose",
        "published": "2026-08-19T04:00:22.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}