Two main types of medicines are used for asthma treatment :
· Quick-relief asthma medications
· Long-term control medications.
Quick-Relief Asthma Medications
These medications are used only when needed in the treatment of asthma. One type of quick-relief medicine is a short-acting inhaled bronchodilator. Bronchodilators work by relaxing tightened muscles around the airways. They help open up airways quickly and ease breathing. They are sometimes called "rescue" or "relief" medicines because they can stop an asthma attack. These medicines act quickly, but their effects only last for a short period of time.
You should take quick-relief medicines for asthma when you first begin to feel asthma symptoms, such as :
· Coughing
· Wheezing
· Chest tightness
· Shortness of breath.
Anyone who has asthma should always have one of these inhalers handy in case of an attack. For severe attacks, your doctor may use steroids to treat the inflammation.
Long-Term Control Medications
These medicines are taken every day, usually over long periods of time, to control chronic symptoms and to prevent asthma episodes or attacks. You will feel the full effects of these medicines after taking them for a few weeks. People with persistent asthma need long-term control medicines.
Long-term control medications used as a treatment for asthma include :
- Inhaled corticosteroids. These are the preferred treatment for controlling mild, moderate, and severe persistent asthma. They are safe when taken as directed by your doctor. Inhaled medicines go directly into your lungs and reduce the swelling of airways that makes asthma attacks more likely. There are many kinds of inhalers that require different techniques, and it is important to know how to use your inhaler correctly. In some cases, steroid tablets or liquids are used for short periods of time to bring asthma under control. The tablet or liquid form may also be used to control severe asthma.
- Long-acting beta-agonists. These are bronchodilators, not anti-inflammatory drugs. These medicines are used to help control moderate and severe asthma, and to prevent nighttime asthma symptoms. Long-acting beta-agonists are often taken together with inhaled corticosteroid medicines.
- Leukotriene modifiers (montelukast, zafirlukast, zileuton). These are long-term control medicines that are used either alone to treat mild persistent asthma or together with inhaled corticosteroids to treat moderate to severe persistent asthma.
- Cromolyn and nedocromil. These are long-term control medicines used in mild persistent asthma treatment.
- Theophylline. This is a long-term control medication used either alone for mild persistent asthma or together with inhaled corticosteroids to treat moderate persistent asthma. People who take theophylline should have their blood levels checked regularly to be sure the dose is appropriate.
Sources http://asthma.emedtv.com