Give systemic steroids prednisone 40 mg day x5 days A Oral is as effective as IV nebulized budesonide more expensive may be alternative to PO in some pts Steroids uarr FEV1 and oxygenation darr recovery time hospitalization duration use 5 days A Even shor

<b>Give systemic steroids:</b> <a href=https://online.epocrates.com/e/deeplink/drugs/10a274/prednisone><u>prednisone</u></a> 40 mg/day x5 days [A]. Oral is as effective as IV; nebulized <a href=https://online.epocrates.com/e/deeplink/drugs/10a1158/budesonide%20inhaled><u>budesonide</u></a> (more expensive) may be alternative to PO in some pts. Steroids &uarr; FEV₁ and oxygenation, &darr; recovery time/hospitalization duration; <b>use ≤5 days</b> [A]. Even short burst assoc w/ &uarr;risk of pneumonia, sepsis, and death. Confine use to pts w/ significant exac.