Anti-Asthmatic Medicines & Treatment

Asthma – the name is familiar to every house of this world. This chronic disease is responsible to inflame the airways which act as a carrier for air inside and out of the lungs. Normally, in the asthmatic patients, bronchi remains inflamed as well as more sensitive than the normal ones and thus produce additional mucus. These may result in trigger coughing, bronchospasm, shortness of breath or wheezing.

Cause of asthma:
The cause of this chronic disease is not fully understood. But it may be due to a combination of the below factors –
Environmental – occupational irritants, allergens (such as pollen, animal fur and dust mites), tobacco smoke, powerful emotional expressions, respiratory infections and drugs (such as beta blockers and aspirin).
Genetic – if asthma problems are seen in children then it is genetic. If anyone among the family members has asthma, chances are increased to develop asthma and other related allergic conditions (such as hay fever and dermatitis) in the next generation children.

Treatment of Asthma:
There are many treatments which can be followed to sooth or control the symptoms of asthma. Treatment is offered based on two major goal –
i) Specific treatments for opening the swollen airways which are responsible for limited breathing to minimize acute attacks
ii) Prophylactic measures for lowering airway resistance and inflammation for maintaining airflow
All the treatments and prevention efforts involve use of a combination of medicines, advice on lifestyle and identify and avoid the potential asthma triggers.
Among the inhalation preparations, there are nebulization solutions, powdered inhalers and metered-dose inhalers. Normally inhalers are used to give asthma medicines. It is a device used for delivering the medicine straight into the airways of the patient when he tries to breathe in by opening his mouth. The drug goes directly into the lungs for best result.
Most of the anti-asthmatic medicines exporter agencies and suppliers sell such drugs only if it prescribed by a doctor.

Anti-asthmatic medicines:
Asthma treating drugs are categorized two ways – 1) quick relief and 2) long term control asthma.
1) Quick relief medications
This kind of drug is used for offering relief in short-term basis and a quick manner on the occurrence of an asthma attack. Such drugs include –
• Antimuscarinics – it needs to get inhaled to quickly relax the airways. Example – tiotropium.
• Short-acting beta2 agonists – these are bronchodilators which needs to get inhaled within minutes of an asthma attack. It is a quick-relief nebulizer or inhaler. Example – terbutaline.
• Intravenous xanthines – it relaxes smooth muscles and relieves in bronchial spasm. Recommended for severe asthma attack. Example – aminophylline.
• Systemic corticosteroids – it reduces inflammation in the airways due to severe asthma attacks. Example – methylprednisone.
2) Long term asthma control drugs
These drugs also reduce the severity of airway inflammation and prevent occurrence of asthma attacks. To avail their maximum advantages, doctors generally ask their patients to continue these medicines (alone or in combination with others) for a couple of days long.
• Inhaled corticosteroids – Examples – budesonide and fluticasone.
• Long-acting beta2 agonists – Examples – formoterol and salmeterol.
• Leukotriene inhibitors – Examples - zafirlukast and montelukast.
• Xanthines – Examples – theophylline.
It is always recommended to use these medications with the proper supervision and guidance of a licensed medical professional only.

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Created on Mar 18th 2020 04:51. Viewed 231 times.

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