Asthma Medications

• What are long-term control asthma medications?
• What are quick-relief asthma medications?
• How are inhalers, nebulizers, and pills used as asthma medicines?
• How is theophylline used in the treatment of asthma?
• Are there over-the-counter asthma drugs?
• Can allergy shots be used to treat asthma?
• How frequently will I have to take asthma medicines?
• What are the guidelines for asthma medications?

Asthma medication plays a key role in gaining good control of your asthma. Asthma is a chronic (lifelong) disease that involves inflammation of the airways superimposed with recurrent episodes of decreased airflow, mucus production, and cough. Choosing the proper asthma medication is crucial in avoiding asthma attacks and living an active life.

Treatment with asthma medication focuses on:

• Taking asthma medication that controls inflammation and prevents chronic symptoms such as coughing or breathlessness at night, in the early morning, or after exertion (long-term control medications)



• Providing asthma medication to treat asthma attacks when they occur (quick-relief asthma medication)



• Avoiding asthma triggers



• Monitoring daily asthma symptoms in an asthma diary



• Monitoring peak flows with daily asthma tests

There are two general types of asthma medication which can give you long-term control or quick relief of symptoms.

• Anti-inflammatory drugs. This is the most important type of therapy for most people with asthma because these asthma medications prevent asthma attacks on an ongoing basis. Steroids, also called "corticosteroids," are an important type of anti-inflammatory medication for people suffering from asthma. These asthma medications reduce swelling and mucus production in the airways. As a result, airways are less sensitive and less likely to react to triggers.



• Bronchodilators. These asthma medications relieve the symptoms of asthma by relaxing the muscle bands that tighten around the airways. This action rapidly opens the airways, letting more air come in and out of the lungs. As a result, breathing improves. Bronchodilators also help clear mucus from the lungs. As the airways open, the mucus moves more freely and can be coughed out more easily.

These asthma medications can be administered in different ways. Successful treatment should allow you to live an active and normal life. If your asthma symptoms are not in good control, you should contact your doctor for advice and look at a different asthma medication that may work best for you.

NOTE: A newer asthma medication, called Xolair, works by inhibiting the allergic reaction that often causes constriction of the airways. It works by blocking proteins in the immune system from becoming activated, an underlying cause of allergic asthma symptoms.

Long-Term Control Asthma Medications

Doctors and asthma specialists recognize that asthma has two main components: airway inflammation and acute bronchoconstriction (constriction of the airways). Research has shown that reducing and preventing further inflammation is the key to preventing asthma attacks, hospitalizations, and death from asthma.

Long-term control asthma medications are taken daily over an extended period of time to achieve and maintain control of persistent asthma (asthma that causes symptoms more than twice a week and frequent attacks that affect activity).

The most effective long-term control asthma medications are those that stop airway inflammation (anti-inflammatory drugs), but there are others that are often used along with anti-inflammatory drugs to enhance their effect.

Long-term control asthma medications include:

• Corticosteroids (The inhaled form is the anti-inflammatory drug of choice for persistent asthma.)



• Mast cell stabilizers (anti-inflammatory drugs)



• Long acting beta-agonists (bronchodilators often used along with an anti-inflammatory drug)



• Theophylline (a bronchodilator used along with an anti-inflammatory drug to prevent nighttime symptoms)



• Leukotriene modifiers (an alternative to steroids and mast cell stabilizers)



• Xolair (an injectable asthma medication used when inhaled steroids for asthma failed to control asthma symptoms in people with moderate to severe asthma who also have allergies)

Quick-Relief Asthma Medications

These asthma medications are used to provide prompt relief of asthma attack symptoms (cough, chest tightness, and wheezing -- all signs of airway bronchoconstriction).

The asthma drugs include:

• Short acting beta-agonists (bronchodilators that are the drug of choice to relieve asthma attacks and prevent exercise-induced asthma symptoms)



• Anticholinergics (bronchodilators used in addition to short-acting beta-agonists when needed or as an alternative to these drugs when needed)



• Systemic corticosteroids (an anti-inflammatory drug used in an emergency to get rapid control of the disease while initiating other treatments and to speed recovery)

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