Asthma Medication

Asthma Treatments and Asthma Medications

There are several methods of Asthma Treatments along with several Asthma medications such as Singulair, Advair which are Anti-inflammatory medications and are consider one of the best ways to treat asthma. Several people with a “history of asthma” use these “asthma medications” to prevent asthma attacks as a long term solution to asthma. However, these types of Asthma medications contain steroids, also called "corticosteroids," and help prevent asthma attacks as well work well as a form of “Asthma Treatment”.
Medications such as Advair act as a type of anti-inflammatory medication for patients suffering with a history of asthma. These asthma medications containing corticosteroids are intended to reduce swelling in the airways along with reducing mucus production in the airways. The reduction of the swelling helps airways to become less sensitive and less likely to affect Asthma triggers thus being an effective form of asthma treatment.

Bronchodilators are asthma medications are designed as a form of a quick relief treatment of asthma medications designed to relieve the symptoms of asthma by relaxing the muscles tighten around the airways. The bronchodilators act quickly opening airways by letting more air come in and out of the lungs being an effective form of treating asthma. Of course after this quick fix breathing improves. Bronchodilators also help clear mucus from the lungs. As the asthma medications start to work the airways open, the mucus moves more freely and can be coughed out more easily.


Inhaled corticosteroids – Asthma Treatment
These medications obstruct the production of inflammatory chemicals in the body. There are hardly any side effects produced by the inhaled drugs because of their local action in the lung.

Brand Name (Generic)

AeroBid; Bronalide (flunisolide ), Advair (fluticasone + salmeterol)
Azmacort (triamcinolone), Beclovent; Vanceril (beclomethasone)
Flovet (fluticasone)

Long-acting beta2-bronchodilators – Asthma Treatment
Asthma medication causes relaxation of the muscle surrounding the airways. These drugs are slowly vacate the patients body. These effects last approximately about an hour.

Serevent (salmeterol), Foradil (formoterol)

Theophylline bronchodilators – Asthma Treatment
Asthma medication increases relaxation of constricted airways by blocking the action of chemicals that cause contraction of muscles surrounding the airways. Oral, slow-release theophylline drugs are commonly used in asthma maintenance therapy. (A fast-acting intravenous form of theophylline is also available for emergency room treatment of severe asthma episodes.)
Theo-Dur; Theolaire (theophylline)

Oral corticosteroids – Asthma Treatment
These medications block the production or release of inflammatory chemicals in the body. Oral administration of corticosteroids for a prolonged time can produce several undesirable side effects.

Delta-Cortef (prednisolone), Deltasone (prednisone) Medrol; Solu-Medrol (methylprednisone)

Nonsteroidal antiallergics – Asthma Treatments
These medications block the release or action of inflammatory chemicals in the body, thus reducing the symptoms of inflammation, including relief of airway constriction
Intal (cromolyn ),Tilade (nedocromil)

Leukotriene modifiers – Asthma Treatment
These block the production or action of inflammatory chemicals called leukotrienes, thus reducing inflammation, relaxing the airways, and reducing mucus production
Accolate (zafirlukast ), Singulair (montelukast ) Zyflo (zileuton

Quick Asthma Treatment

“Rescue medication for use during an asthma attack”.

Short-acting beta2-bronchodilators – Asthma Treatment
These medications cause the muscle fibers surrounding the airways to relax, thus opening up the narrowed passageways. These drugs are rapidly cleared from the body, therefore, their effects last for a relatively short time (about 3 to 4 hours).

Brethaire; Bricanyl (terbutaline ), Maxair (pirbuterol), Tornalate (bitolterol),
Ventolin; Proventil (albuterol)

Anticholinergic bronchodilators – Asthma Treatment
These medications block the nerve responses that normally cause narrowing of airways. They are commonly used in combination with a beta2-bronchodilator such as albuterol

Atrovent (ipratropium)

Inhalers –Asthma Treatment
Asthma medications that are provided to treat asthma are inhaled. Inhaled medications do not have to be processed in any way by digestive organs in order to start working. Instead, they travel directly to the lungs, produce their effects quickly, and cause relatively few side effects. Several different inhaler devices are available to suit the needs of different people with different kinds of asthma. All of these devices have their own advantages and disadvantages. Below is a basic list of inhaler delivery systems available for adults with asthma are:
Metered-dose inhaler
Metered-dose inhaler with spacer
Dry powder inhaler
Nebulizer

Metered-Dose Inhaler (MDI) The medication is contained in a small, pressurized canister that releases a pre-measured or "metered" dose. Most canisters hold around 200 individual doses, but 50-dose and 100-dose inhalers exist for some drugs.
The pressurized metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) AKA "puffer" is because the asthma treatment medicine is delivered into the patients or users lungs as small "puffs".
Both preventer Asthma medications and reliever medications can be delivered in puffs to help prevent a sever asthma attack. In relation to “asthma treatment” the metered dose inhaler is one the most widely recognized forms of asthma treatment.