Asthma Medications
Helping to keep your asthma under control can be easy. With a daily treatment plan, you can reduce your symptoms and help prevent future attacks. It's important to know your treatment options so you can find the best solution for your asthma.
It's important for people with asthma to know the differences between oral and inhaled asthma medications. Asthma is a localized condition, meaning it's only going on in one area in your body-the airways of your lungs. That's why most healthcare professionals prescribe inhaled asthma medicines. Because the medicine is breathed in, most of it goes directly to the airways where it's needed. The oral medications on the other hand are swallowed and distributed to the whole body through the blood stream. Consequently, their effects made be felt in other areas besides the lungs. Unfortunately, there are some medications that only come in an oral form.
The medications for asthma are generally divided into two groups: the group of medications that help keep your asthma under control, and the group that helps relieve your asthma when it is not under control.
Short-acting medications for ACUTE symptoms, like albuterol, help relieve sudden asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath. They work quickly to open the airways by relaxing the airway muscles. However, they do not provide long-term control of your asthma. These medications are found in a variety of forms including inhaler (MDI), nebulizer, syrups, and tablets. Always carry your fast-acting inhaler with you. If you need to use your fast-acting inhaler more than 2 times each week, talk to your healthcare professional.
Long-term controller medications (also called "maintenance medications") help prevent asthma symptoms from occurring in the first place. Taken regularly, these medications work by reducing constriction (narrowing of the airways in the lungs) or the inflammation (underlying swelling and irritation in the airways of your lungs). Many people need to treat the inflammation and constriction for optimal asthma control.
Inhaled corticosteroids (also called anti-inflammatory medications) are used to treat asthma because they help reduce the inflammation in the airways.
Reducing inflammation helps to:
- Improve lung function
- Prevent asthma symptoms
- Reduce the need for a fast-acting inhaler
Inhaled corticosteroids go directly to the airways of the lungs to help reduce the swelling and irritation (inflammation). Because they go right where they are needed, there is less risk of the side effects you may have with oral steroids such as prednisone. Recent studies suggest that untreated inflammation may eventually lead to emphysema even in the absence of smoking.
Examples of inhaled corticosteroids are Flovent 44,110, and 220 mcg, Pulmicort, Vanceril, Beclovent, and Azmacort. Most of the inhaled corticosteroids are best used with a spacer (link to spacer); some such as Pulmicort do not need a spacer.
Cromolyn sodium and nedocromil are mild to moderate anti-inflammatory medications. These inhaled controller medications are generally used in children. These are Intal and Tilade. Long-acting bronchodilators are often used alongside anti-inflammatory medications in the treatment of asthma.
Long-acting bronchodilators help keep the airways open by relaxing the airway muscles.They help to:
- Improve lung function
- Prevent asthma symptoms
- Reduce the need for a fast-acting inhaler
There are no reports suggesting that they act as anti-inflammatories nor do they help prevent changes in lung structure over years of use. Serevent and Foradil are examples of this type of medication.
Leukotriene modifiers help prevent constriction of the muscles surrounding the airways. This group includes Singulair and Accolate.
Oral steroids are generally used only to help treat severe asthma attacks.
Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should the controller medication be used for emergencies. The first medicine to use is your RESCUE MEDICATION. If you get no relief, contact your physician immediately.
