Understand Your Asthma Medication

Bronchodilators relax the muscles around the airways (breathing tubes). When the airways are more open, it is easier to breathe. There are two general types of bronchodilators, and you may be prescribed one or both types:

• Short-Acting bronchodilators work quickly after you take them so that you feel relief from symptoms quickly.
• Long-Acting bronchodilators have effects that last a long time. They should not be used for quick relief. These medications are only recommended for use when combined with an anti-inflammatory asthma medicine (see below).

Anti-inflammatory medicines reduce the swelling and mucus production inside the airways. When that inflammation is reduced, it is easier to breathe. These medicines also are called corticosteroids or steroids. Most often, these are inhaled medications and it is important to rinse out your mouth with water immediately after using them to avoid getting thrush, a yeast infection in your throat.

Some corticosteroids come in pill form and usually are used for short periods of time in special circumstances, such as when your symptoms are getting worse.

There are a few medicines that combine inhaled bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids.

Anticholinergics (an-ti-cho-lin-er-gics) are a class of medicines that prevent muscle bands from tightening around the airways. The medicine can be inhaled using a metered-dose inhaler or nebulized from a solution. This type of medicine is typically used in combination with an inhaled corticosteroid and should be taken daily for long-term control. They are often added on to treatment to relieve cough, mucus production, wheeze or chest tightness.

For moderate-to- severe forms of asthma that are not well-controlled with standard therapy, there are several approved “add on” medicines now available. Research has helped to identify different types of airway inflammation in asthma such as allergic (atopic) and eosinophilic (ee-oh-sin-o-fil-ik) asthma (eosinophils are a type of white blood cell associated with symptoms). Studies have found targeted therapies for each of these subgroups (or phenotypes) in asthma. These medicines are administered in your doctor’s office once a month by either a shot or IV. Learn more about these asthma treatments.

People with asthma can have flare-ups that may be caused by bacterial or viral infections. Your doctor may want you to have a prescription for an antibiotic or an antiviral that you keep on hand. You will be instructed to have this prescription filled if you have an infection coming on.

It is important to take an antibiotic exactly as prescribed and to take it all, even if you start to feel better before it is all used up. If you do not take it all, the infection may come back and be even stronger and harder to treat.