| Asthma is a chronic lung condition that is | | | | very quickly. These medicines act quickly but their |
| characterized by difficulty in breathing. People with | | | | effects only last for a short period of time. You |
| asthma have extra sensitive or hyper-responsive | | | | should take quick relief medicines when you first |
| airways. | | | | begin to feel asthma symptoms like coughing, |
| During an asthma attack, the airways become | | | | wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath. |
| irritated and react by narrowing and constructing, | | | | Anyone who has asthma should always have one of |
| causing increased resistance to airflow, and | | | | these inhalers in case of an attack. For severe |
| obstructing theflow of the air passages to and from | | | | attacks, your doctor may use steroids to treat the |
| the lungs. | | | | inflammation. |
| There are two main types of medicines for the | | | | Long-term control medication include: |
| treatment of asthma: | | | | - The most effective, long-term control medication |
| 1. Quick Relief Medicines: also called relievers, give | | | | for asthma is an inhaled corticosteroid because this |
| rapid, short-term treatment and are taken when you | | | | medicine reduces the swelling of airways that makes |
| have worsening asthma symptoms that can lead | | | | asthma attacks more likely. Inhaled corticosteroids (or |
| toasthma episodes or attacks. You will feel the | | | | steroids for short) are the preferred treatment for |
| effects of these medicines within minutes. | | | | controlling mild, moderate, and severe persistent |
| 2. Long-Term Control Medicines: also called | | | | asthma. They are safe when taken as directed by |
| preventers, are taken every day, usually over long | | | | your doctor. Inhaled medicines go directly into your |
| periods of time, to control chronic symptoms and to | | | | lungs where they are needed. There are many kinds |
| prevent asthma episodes or attacks. You will feel the | | | | of inhalers that require different techniques, and it is |
| full effects of these medicines after taking them for | | | | important to know how to use your inhaler correctly. |
| a few weeks. People with persistent asthma | | | | In some cases, steroid tablets or liquid are used for |
| needlong-term control medicines. | | | | short times to bring asthma under control. The tablet |
| Drugs, such as those resembling two of our | | | | or liquid form may also be used to control severe |
| hormones, can help treat asthma. These two | | | | asthma. |
| hormones are adrenaline (epinephrine in the USA) and | | | | - Long-acting beta-agonists are another kind of |
| hydrocortisone (a steroid). | | | | long-term control medication. They are |
| There are also other drugs which help treat asthma. | | | | bronchodilators, not anti-inflammatory drugs. These |
| Whilst drugs can remove all your symptoms if you | | | | medicines are used to help control moderate and |
| have mild asthma, people with more severe or | | | | severe asthma and to prevent night-time symptoms. |
| long-standing asthma don't get nearly such good | | | | Long-acting beta-agonists are taken together with |
| results, so alternate medications are required. | | | | inhaled corticosteroid medicine. |
| Adrenaline (epinephrine) is pumped into our | | | | - Leukotriene modifiers (such as montelukast, |
| bloodstream when we have a sudden fright or | | | | zafirlukast, and zileuton) are long-term control |
| emergency. It is the quick-acting hormone from the | | | | medicines used either alone to treat mild persistent |
| middle of the adrenal glands near our kidneys. It | | | | asthma or together with inhaled corticosteroids to |
| makes your pulse race, makes your heart thump, and | | | | treat moderate persistent asthma or severe |
| readies your body for emergency action. In asthma, | | | | persistent asthma. |
| the medicines which resemble adrenaline quickly | | | | - Cromolyn and nedocromil are also long-term control |
| relieve asthma for a short time, and are called | | | | medicines used to treat mild persistent asthma. |
| relievers. | | | | - Theophylline is a long-term control medication used |
| Hydrocortisone comes from the outer part of our | | | | either alone to treat mild persistent asthma or |
| adrenal glands, called the 'cortex'. It is also partly an | | | | together with inhaled corticosteroids to treat |
| "emergency hormone" but it works much more | | | | moderate persistent asthma. People who take |
| slowly, for much longer, and in a completely different | | | | theophylline should have their blood levels checked to |
| way to adrenaline. Medicines which resemble | | | | be sure the dose is appropriate. |
| hydrocortisone slowly allow the lining of air tubes in | | | | If you stop taking long-term control medicines, your |
| an asthma sufferer to become normal. As a result, | | | | asthma will likely worsen again. |
| your asthma becomes less severe and you are less | | | | Many people with asthma need both a short-acting |
| likely to get asthma attacks. So these steroid | | | | bronchodilator to use when symptoms worsen and |
| medicines are called preventers. There are other | | | | long-term daily asthma control medication to treat |
| asthma 'preventers', but the steroids are the most | | | | theongoing inflammation. Over time, your doctor may |
| powerful. | | | | need to make changes in your asthma medication. |
| Most people who have asthma should have both of | | | | You may need to increase your dose, lower your |
| these kinds of medicine – preventers and | | | | dose, ortry a combination of medications. Be sure to |
| relievers. | | | | work with your doctor to find the best treatment |
| Usually the best way to take these medicines is to | | | | for your asthma. The goal is to use the least amount |
| breathe them in. That is, you inhale them, through | | | | ofmedicine necessary to control your asthma. |
| your nose or mouth. The reasons you inhale them | | | | At a Glance … Asthma Treatments – |
| are : | | | | Relievers and Preventers |
| - because you need less of the medicine, | | | | - Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that |
| - you won't suffer as many side effects, and, | | | | makes airways (bronchial tubes) particularly sensitive |
| - the medicine works more quickly, | | | | to irritants, and this is characterized by difficulty in |
| The final point is particularly important with the | | | | breathing. |
| adrenaline-like, fast-acting relievers. | | | | - There two main types of medicines for the |
| Another advantage is that the hydrocortisone-like | | | | treatment of asthma: |
| steroid preventers you breathe in can be chosen to | | | | • Quick Relief Medicines: also called relievers, and, |
| be biodegradable inside the body. As a result, then | | | | • Long-Term Control Medicines: also called |
| cando their work in the lung, but don't get much of a | | | | preventers. |
| chance to produce any side effects in the rest of | | | | - Quick Relief Medicines give rapid, short-term |
| your body, because your liver breaks them down. | | | | treatment and are taken when you have worsening |
| Quick relief medicines are used only when needed. A | | | | asthma symptoms that can lead to asthma episodes |
| type of quick relief medicine is a short-acting inhaled | | | | or attacks. |
| bronchodilator. Bronchodilators work byrelaxing the | | | | You will feel the effects of these medicines within |
| muscles that have tightened around the airways. | | | | minutes. |
| They help open up airways quickly and ease | | | | - Long-Term Control Medicines are taken every day, |
| breathing. | | | | usually over long periods of time, to control chronic |
| They are sometimes called "rescue" or "relief" | | | | symptoms and to prevent. |
| medicines because they can stop an asthma attack | | | | |