Asthma Medications for Beginners

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Omronhealthcare-ap.com/healthblog/en
Asthma Medications for Beginners

• Asthma is a chronic disease of the respiratory
  system that requires intervention for short-term
  relief and long-term control. There is a variety
  of medicine available to treat asthma. Its very
  important for people suffering from asthma to be
  informed about the different medications to
  control their disease. Your asthma changes as you
  age and as your routines change so does your
  medication. Taking the right medicine at the
  right time helps you breathe better and live with
  fewer asthma symptoms.
• Nebulizer, inhaler, and bronchodilators what do
  all these terms imply in asthma medications? Most
  people are confused about the categories, types
  and form of asthma medication. But did you know
  that all these three terms can refer to the same
  medication? So be informed about the
  categorization of asthma medication to help you
  understand your condition better.
• Types of Asthma Medications
• Asthma is characterised by chronic airway
  inflammation. The difficulties in breathing in
  asthmatic patient occur as the inflamed airways
  swell, tighten, and produce excess mucus. Hence,
  the main aim of asthmatic treatment is to reduce
  the inflammations and helps the widening of the
  airways to help to breathe. Thus, there are two
  general types of asthma medications depending on
  its functions.
• Anti-Inflammatories
• Anti-inflammatory drugs particularly inhaled
  steroids, are the most important treatment to
  reduce inflammation and prevent flare-ups in
  asthma. Anti-inflammatory drugs work by reducing
  swelling and mucus production in the airways.
  Consequently, the airways will become less
  sensitive and less likely to be exacerbated by
  triggers.
• Other anti-inflammatory drugs besides steroids
  are leukotriene modifiers (eg Montelukast) and
  mast cell stabilizers that block inflammatory
  causing chemicals. Immunomodulators, a more
  advanced anti-inflammatory drug, block the
  antibody that triggers the immune response,
  making the airway to be less sensitivity to
  inhaled allergens (substances causing allergy).
• Bronchodilators

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Omronhealthcare-ap.com/healthblog/en Bronchodilat
ors relieve the symptoms of asthma by relaxing
the muscles in the lung and widening the airways
(bronchi). This helps to open up the airways to
ease breathing. The most widely used
bronchodilators are beta-agonists,
anticholinergics and theophylline.

• CATEGORIES OF ASTHMA MEDICATION
• Both anti-inflammatory drugs and bronchodilators
  are used either for long-term control or acute
  attack. Your doctor will determine the right
  combination of drugs to address the respective
  treatment goal. Hence the aforementioned drugs
  are used as
• Long-term asthma control medications
• Also known as controller medications, it controls
  chronic symptoms and prevents asthma attacks.
  Because of its preventive function, some of these
  drugs should be taken daily even when there are
  no symptoms present. Others are taken on as
  needed basis to reduce the severity of an asthma
  attack.

• This included Inhaled corticosteroids,
  leukotriene modifiers, long-acting beta agonists
  (LABAs) and Theophylline
• Quick-relief medications
• Also known as rescue medications, it is taken as
  needed for rapid, short-term relief of asthmatic
  symptoms by relaxing the muscles around your
  airway. If your asthma is well-controlled, you
  would not need to use rescue medication
  frequently. These medications included
  Short-acting beta agonists, anticholinergics
  (Ipratropium) as well as oral and intravenous
  corticosteroids (for serious asthma attacks).
• Medications for allergy-induced asthma
• This medication is taken regularly or as needed
  to reduce your body's sensitivity to a particular
  allergen. This includes allergy shots
  (immunotherapy), immunomodulators as well as
  other allergy medications such as antihistamines
  and decongestants.

FORMS OF ASTHMA MEDICATIONS
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• Omronhealthcare-ap.com/healthblog/en
• Whether you are using both bronchodilators and
  anti-inflammatories as long-term or quick-relief
  medications, you will be taken the medications in
  one of this three form
• Inhaled form
• Either using a metered dose inhaler, dry powder
  inhaler, or a nebulizer. Some inhalers deliver
  one medication and others mix two different
  medications to get the drugs to your airways.
• Nebulizer converts medication from a liquid to a
  mist and is typically suitable for infants, small
  children, older adults, or anyone who has
  difficulty using inhalers with spacers. Click
  here for the Omron nebulizers you can select
  from.
• Oral form
• These are taken by mouth, either in pill or
  liquid form such as oral corticosteroid used as
  quick-relief medication and theophylline pill as
  long-term control medication.
• Injection
• In asthma triggered by allergies, allergy shots
  and immunomodulator can be given by injection for
  long-term control medication while theophylline
  and corticosteroid injection can be given if
  symptoms are severe.