Understanding Asthma Treatments - Relievers
and Preventers
During an asthma attack, the sufferer's airways
become irritated and react by narrowing and constructing.
That causes increased resistance to airflow, and
obstructs the flow of the air to and from the
lungs.How is asthma treated?Asthma is treated
using two main types of medicines: Quick Relief
Treatments: also called relievers. These give
rapid, short-term treatment and are taken when
you have worsening asthma symptoms that, left
untreated, can lead to asthma episodes or attacks.
You will feel the effects of these medicines within
minutes.
Long-Term Control Treatments: also called preventers,
and are for people with persistent asthma, who
need long-term control medicines. Preventers are
taken every day, usually over long periods of
time, to control chronic (long-term) symptoms
and to prevent asthma episodes or attacks. You
will feel the full effects of these medicines
after taking them for a few weeks.Drugs related
to hormonesDrugs, such as those resembling two
of our hormones, can help treat asthma. These
two hormones are epinephrine (adrenaline in the
UK) and hydrocortisone (a steroid).
Epinephrine
is pumped into our bloodstream when we have a
sudden fright or emergency - psychologists often
call this state fright or flight. Epinephrine
is the quick-acting hormone from the middle of
the adrenal glands near our kidneys. It makes
your pulse race, your heart thump, and readies
your body for emergency action. In asthma, the
medicines which resemble adrenaline quickly relieve
asthma for a short time, and are from the reliever
family.Hydrocortisone comes from the outer part
of our adrenal glands, called the 'cortex'.
It is also partly an "emergency hormone" but
it works much more slowly, for much longer, and
in a completely different way to adrenaline. Medicines
which resemble hydrocortisone slowly allow the
lining of air tubes in an asthma sufferer to become
normal. As a result, your asthma becomes less
severe and you are less likely to get asthma attacks.
So these steroid medicines are part of the preventer
family. Steroids are the most powerful preventers
currently available.Other long-term treatments
include: Long-acting beta-agonists are bronchodilators,
not anti-inflammatory drugs.
These medicines are
used to help control moderate and severe asthma
and to prevent night-time symptoms. Long-acting
beta-agonists are taken together with inhaled
corticosteroids Leukotriene modifiers (such as
montelukast, zafirlukast, and zileuton) are long-term
control medicines used either alone to treat mild
persistent asthma or together with inhaled corticosteroids
to treat moderate persistent asthma or severe
persistent asthma. Cromolyn and nedocromil are
used to treat mild persistent asthma.
Theophylline
is used either alone to treat mild persistent
asthma or together with inhaled corticosteroids
to treat moderate persistent asthma. People who
take theophylline should have their blood levels
checked to be sure the dose is appropriate.Be
careful. If you stop taking long-term control
medicines, your asthma will likely worsen again.Taking
preventersInhaled corticosteroids (or steroids
for short) are the preferred treatment for controlling
mild, moderate, and severe persistent asthma.
They are safe when taken as directed by your doctor.Inhaled
medicines go directly into your lungs where they
are needed.
There are many kinds of inhalers that require
different techniques, and it is important to know
how to use your inhaler correctly.Usually the
best way to take these medicines is to breathe
them in. That is, you inhale them, through your
nose or mouth. The reasons you inhale them are:
because you need less of the medicine, you won't
suffer as many side effects, and, the medicine
works more quickly,The final point is particularly
important with the adrenaline-like, fast-acting
relievers.
Another advantage is that the hydrocortisone-like
steroid preventers you breathe in can be chosen
to be biodegradable inside the body. As a result,
then can do their work in the lung, but don't
get much of a chance to produce any side effects
in the rest of your body, because your liver breaks
them down.In some cases, steroid tablets or liquid
are used for short times to bring asthma under
control. The tablet or liquid form may also be
used to control severe asthma.Taking quick relief
medicinesQuick relief medicines are used only
when needed.
A type of quick relief medicine is
a short-acting inhaled bronchodilator. Bronchodilators
work by relaxing the muscles that have tightened
around the airways. They help open up airways
quickly and ease breathing. They are sometimes
called "rescue" or "relief" medicines because
they can stop an asthma attack very quickly.These
medicines act quickly but their effects only last
for a short period of time. You should take quick
relief medicines when you first begin to feel
asthma symptoms like coughing, wheezing, chest
tightness, or shortness of breath.
Anyone who
has asthma should always carry one of these inhalers
in case of an attack. For severe attacks, your
doctor may also use steroids to treat the inflammation.Work
closely with your doctorMany people with asthma
need both a short-acting bronchodilator to use
when symptoms worsen and long-term daily asthma
control medication to treat the ongoing inflammation.
Over time, your doctor may need to make changes
in your asthma medication. You may need to increase
your dose, lower your dose, or try a combination
of medications. Be sure to work with your doctor
to find the best treatment for your asthma.
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