Asthma Symptoms

Asthma Medicines and Medical Help

Asthma is a chronic disease of both inflammation and airway constriction. Appropriate medical treatment should address both of these issues. A good treatment plan requires the right kind of medication and education as well. The prescriptions are not enough. Of equal importance are knowing how and when to take the medication, being aware of their potential side effects, and giving your health-care provider feedback on how they are working for you.

Asthma medications are divided into two classes, each designed to address the two basic realities of asthma: that effective management requires treatment for constriction and inflammation of the airways. Short term, quick-relief, or “rescue” medications treat immediate symptoms which create discomfort such as shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing. Long term medications are taken daily and over long periods of time to reduce airway inflammation and prevent inflammation from occurring, while maintaining control over symptoms and preventing serious asthma episodes.

Short Term Asthma Medications:
Short term medications can help you or your child during an asthma episode. They include but are not limited to the following:

Short-acting Beta-2 agonists are the treatments that most people think of when they think of asthma medicines. These medicines are easily administered with an inhaler and provide immediate relief from asthma symptoms such as wheezing, coughing and difficulty in breathing. However, their effectiveness is short-lived and they are intended to ease the stress and difficulty experienced with an asthma attack. They do not provide long term treatment for asthma and it’s symptoms.

Oral corticosteroids are a form of steroids – no, not the type that you read about in pro sports these days. These medications are sometimes prescribed when you or your child are not helped by the rescue medicines listed above administered with inhalers. Oral corticosteroids include such brand names as Medrol, Prelone, Orapred, and Pediapred. Oral corticosteroids are a stop-gap measure at best. If the normal rescue medicines are not effective for you or your child, you may want to consider a short series of oral corticosteroids lasting three to five days. The reason for the short treatment is that these drugs can have significant side effects when used for long periods of time. These side effects may include weight gain, increased blood pressure, osteoporosis, cataracts, mood disorders and decreased growth.

Long Term Asthma Medications:
Long term medications are taken daily on a long-term basis and need to be taken regardless of how you are feeling. Long term medications are designed to help reduce the inflammation associated with asthma and thus reduce the impact of the disease on your daily life. They include but are not limited to:

Today, inhaled corticosteroids are the most common and effective long-term medications we have to control the symptoms and inflammation of asthma. They help regardless of how severe the asthma symptoms may be, and when taken daily, they significantly reduce the need for short-acting rescue medications.

There are many different types of medication that asthmatics take depending on their symptoms and the severity of their asthma. Here are a few of the most commonly used types or groups of asthma medications and what they do for you.

The main prevention drugs that are taken are;

• Long-acting beta-agonists - This class of drug is very similar to that of adrenaline. This drug is usually inhaled. After taking this medication you may become a bit shaky and disorientated. They are used to keep the breathing passages open for up to around 12 hours.

• Inhaled corticosteroids - Are what are mainly given to asthma patients. Their job is to also keep the airway passages open but with less side effects.
  
• Leukotriene inhibitors - Leukotriene is a chemical that causes the inflammatory response that you see with a severe asthma attack. Leukotriene inhibitors work by blocking these chemicals and reducing the inflammation of the breathing passage ways.
  
• Cromolyn sodium - is a prevention medication and is no good to you if you are experiencing an asthma attack. It's job is to prevent the onset of asthma symptoms. Cromolyn sodium stops the chemicals that cause the inflammation in the breathing passages.
  
  Rescue medications are taken after or during an asthma attack. Prevention medicines must be taken as well, but these medications work within minutes to control the symptoms of an asthma attack.
  
• Short-acting beta-agonists - This treatment is used as an inhaler. This medication works within minutes to clear and open the passage ways and its effects can last up to 4 hours. The most common short-acting beta-agonists is of course Ventolin.