Managing asthma exacerbations in the emergency department: Summary of the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Expert Panel Report 3 guidelines for the management of asthma exacerbations

[...]the new EPR3 guidelines present different spirometry cut points for assessing the severity of acute asthma (exacerbations) versus chronic asthma. Methylprednisolone    Prednisolone    Table III Dosages of drugs for asthma exacerbations (originally published as Fig 5-5 in the EPR31) Key: ED, emergency department; MDI, metered-dose inhaler; PEF, peak expiratory flow; VHC, valved holding chamberNotes:+ There is no known advantage for higher doses of corticosteroids in severe asthma exacerbations, nor is there any advantage for intravenous administration over oral therapy provided gastrointestinal transit time or absorption is not impaired.+ The total course of systemic corticosteroids for an asthma exacerbation requiring an ED visit of hospitalization may last from 3 to 10 days.