TREATMENT OR CURE - Q&A to Conventional Medications   Home | Asthma Assistant | Glossary | Disclaimer   Is it Asthma | Society & Self | Take Control | Treatment or Cure | Quality Living

How many different medications are there for asthma? At first there can seem to be many different medications for asthma. This is partly because there are many different inhaler devices; this is explained in more detail in Inhalers or Tablets? In reality, the actual medications can be broadly divided into two main groups: (1) Relievers which relieve the symptoms of asthma. (2) Preventers which prevent the symptoms of asthma from coming on. How does a reliever inhaler work? Tightening of the muscle surrounding the airways plays a big part in asthma. Reliever medications work by relaxing this muscle to open up the airways. This relieves the symptoms of asthma by enabling you to breathe more easily. Their effect is short lived and they have no action on the inflammation in the airways which cause symptoms. They are therefore a short term solution for treating asthma symptoms with no long term benefit. Is there more than one kind of reliever? Yes. Relievers can be broadly divided into:   Short-acting Relievers Also called immediate or rescue relievers, these should work almost instantly and relieve symptoms for at least 4 hours. An example is salbutamol.   Long-acting Relievers This group take longer to have and effect, between 30 and 45 minutes depending on the particular one used. Their effects last between 6 and 12 hours, again depending on the particular medication. An example of a long acting reliever is salmeterol. When should I use my reliever? You should use your immediate reliever when you have symptoms to relieve them. You can also use it before you contact things which make your asthma worse as this can help prevent your symptoms from coming on. Sometimes, if your asthma is particularly bad, your doctor may recommend you use your reliever regularly four times a day but only until you are better. If you need to take your reliever once a day or more then it is usually a sign your asthma is getting worse. The longer acting relievers are normally used regularly each day in addition to regular preventer therapy. How much reliever should I take? The usual inhaled dose would be 1 or 2 puffs of your inhaler depending on which one you use. Discuss this with your doctor. If you are needing more reliever than usual this may be a sign that your asthma is getting worse. On the other hand, it may just be that you are not using your inhaler correctly. Have your inhaler technique checked regularly! How does my preventer inhaler work? Inflammation or swelling of the lining of the airways is thought to be the key problem in asthma. Your preventer inhaler works to reduce this inflammation. This will make your airways more 'normal' and less twitchy and sensitive. This in turn prevents your asthma symptoms from coming on. When you first begin using a preventer inhaler you will not notice an immediate improvement in your asthma. The change will happen gradually, and can take anywhere between 7-10 days (steroid preventer) to 4 weeks (sodium cromoglycate). You must take your preventer every day as prescribed or it will not work. Are there different kinds of preventer? Preventers can be divided into the following groups:   Steroid Based The steroid based preventers are the most successful treatment to date in preventing asthma symptoms. Examples are beclomethasone and budesonide.   Non-steroid Based Sodium cromoglycate, more commonly known as intal, is a non-steroid preventer and tends to be less effective than inhaled steroid preventers at controlling asthma. It also takes between 4 and 6 weeks to have any real benefit. There are now a new group of non-steroid preventers called leukotriene antagonists which come in tablet form. They have not been found as effective in treating asthma as the steroid preventers, but are a useful addition in patients already on steroid inhalers who need extra help in controlling their asthma. An example is Accolate. When should I use my preventer inhaler? It is critical to use your preventer inhaler regularly every day as prescribed. This is usually twice a day morning and evening. If you do not use it regularly it will not work. If your doctor advises you to increase the amount of preventer as you are unwell, or decrease it because you are well, make sure to take the new amount regularly every day. How much of my preventer should I take? How much preventer you take will depend on your individual asthma. Most of the steroid based preventers come in a range of different strengths. You doctor will aim to keep you on the lowest amount needed to keep you well and free from symptoms at any one time. As asthma varies so much, you may need different amounts at different times. For example, if your asthma becomes worse, your doctor may increase the amount of your preventer inhaler. Likewise, if you have been well for some time on your dose, your doctor may recommend you reduce or stop your medication. The best way to help you and your doctor ensure you are on the best amount of medication at all times is to monitor your asthma at home. You can find out more about this in Getting to Know Your Asthma. When can I stop my medication? This very much depends on your individual asthma. As the medication does not cure asthma, but rather controls it, you may always have to take regular medication. Some people with milder asthma may only need a reliever occasionally, or a preventer to cover themselves if they get a cold or flu, but other people may need a preventer all the time. What you must remember is that asthma is variable. This means you may need different amounts of medication at different times. Never stop your therapies without consulting your doctor first or following your self-management plan. You can find out more about these in Having a Self-Management Plan. Which medication should I use if I am having an asthma attack? Your immediate reliever inhaler is the most important inhaler to use in an asthma attack. This is why you should always keep it with you. As it can be hard to use an inhaler when you are struggling to breathe, a spacer device can be very useful. This is a plastic bulb which you spray the medication into before breathing it it from the spacer mouthpiece. You can find out more about spacers in Inhalers or Tablets?

Topic "Treatment or Cure" Updated 14th August 2003

We Value Your Comments to "cj@asthmaassistant.com" or Online Email Asthma Assistant Self Management Web Site - www.asthmaassistant.com Copyright 1999-2003 © Polisa Health Limited