Corticosteroids are powerful drugs used to treat inflammatory conditions such as asthma and other chronic diseases which has made them among the most widely prescribed drugs. Although the anti-inflammatory drugs offer swift relief to the patient, they can carry with them serious side effects. For example, the inflammatory steroids used to treat a child's asthma, but can stunt the child's growth over time. Similarly, adult treatment of Addison's disease, which President John F. Kennedy endured, can lead to the development of diabetes and hypertension.