What Medicines Are Used to Treat Asthma

There are two kinds of medicines:

• Bronchodilators are medicines that relax muscles that have tightened around the airways. They will relieve your asthma symptoms. Beta2-agonists and theophylline are bronchodilators.
   
• Anti-inflammatory medicines are medicines that reduce or reverse the swelling in the airways that caused your asthma symptoms. These medicines also prevent the swelling from starting – which keeps asthma episodes from starting. Cromolyn sodium, inhaled corticosteroids, and oral corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory medicines.

How Are Asthma Medicines Prescribed?

Each patient’s asthma is different. Each patient’s airways react to different triggers at different times and with different symptoms. As a result, asthma medicines must be prescribed for each person’s special needs. This involves close work with your doctor and may take some time to find out which medicines work best for you.

What Is a Medicine Plan?

A medicine plan tells you what medicine to take and when to take it. It will help you take medicines the right way. There are two kinds of medicines:

1. Bronchodilators to relieve symptoms. If you have symptoms only every now and then (less than once or twice a week), a bronchodilator may be all you need to control asthma symptoms. If you have an asthma episode, your doctor may tell you to take more of your bronchodilator medicine. This may be enough to relieve your symptoms. However, a second medicine may be prescribed for serious episodes. Your asthma control plan will give you more information on medicines to take during asthma episodes.
    
   If exercise is one of your asthma triggers, your doctor may prescribe a bronchodilator before exercise. This will keep an episode from starting.
   
   
2. Anti-inflammatory medicines to reverse and prevent the swelling that causes the symptoms of asthma. If you have symptoms more than once or twice a week, you need an anti-inflammatory medicine. You need to take this medicine EVERY DAY. If you have allergies, your doctor may also prescribe an extra dose of cromolyn, one kind of anti-inflammatory medicine. Take this dose before you are in contact with a known trigger (for example, before visiting the house of a friend or relative who has a dog).
    
   Remember: Your asthma medicine plan is not working if you still have symptoms with exercise, at rest, at night, or early in the morning. You need to talk with your doctor about your medicine plan. Your doctor may need to change the dose or the type of your medicine.

Are Asthma Medicines Safe?

Asthma medicine are safe, if taken as directed. Some people are afraid that they will become addicted to their medicines. This is not true. Others are concerned that if medicine is taken all the time, it will no longer work. This problem occurs rarely and can be managed. Talk to your doctor if this happens.

What Should Be Done If Side Effects Occur?

• Report all side effects to your doctor.
   
• Do not stop the medicine completely until you talk to your doctor. This may cause your asthma to get worse.

Tips For Correct Use of Medicine

• Take your bronchodilator medicine at the earliest sign that your asthma is getting worse. Watch out for early signs (a drop in your peak flow number or feeling symptoms such as cough, chest tightness, wheezing, or being short of breath) so that asthma medicine can be started right away to relieve symptoms. An asthma episode is easier to stop if you take your medicine as soon as symptoms start. You won’t have to take as much medicine that way either.

REMEMBER: Bronchodilators relieve symptoms, but they cannot reduce or prevent the swelling that causes the symptoms. When you have to use a bronchodilator a lot, it may be a sign that the swelling in your airways is getting worse. If you use a beta2-agonist to relieve symptoms every day or if you use it more than three or four times in a single day, your asthma may be getting much worse. You probably need another kind of medicine. Discuss this with your doctor right away.

• Take your anti-inflammatory medicines exactly the way your doctor recommends, even if you are not feeling symptoms. This will reduce airway swelling and will keep asthma episodes from starting. This medicine must be taken regularly for it to work well.