Asthma Treatment and Medications - How to treat Asthma? Treatments of Asthma

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) recommends that patients with asthma get the influenza vaccine, or "flu shot," to minimize the possibility of getting the flu.

Generally speaking there are two categories of medication used in the treatment of asthma. There is one category of drugs used to treat acute asthma flare-ups as they occur. These medications are known for the capacity to provide quick relief to asthma patients suffering from asthma attacks when taken in the midst of or at the onset of an attack.

An example of fast-acting medications is Epinephrine.

Epinephrine

The hormone, adrenaline, is a chemical that is released by the human body when the body is under stressful conditions or fear. The chemical is produced by the adrenal glands, located in close proximity to the human kidneys. Primarily the job of this hormone is to increase the number of times the heart beats in a minute. This raises the pulse rate, and increases the effectiveness of the heart muscle’s work.

How this helps asthma patients is that it increases the speed at which blood flows through the body, enabling oxygen to reach cells faster and thus decreasing the short-term effects of an acute asthma attack.

One of the problems with the medication listed in the chart above is that like many other medications, such as antibiotics, the effectiveness tends to decrease substantially after repeated use. Therefore the ability of the hormone to relieve the construction of a patient’s airway is decreased, often putting the patient in serious danger.

Also, there is a risk of serious interactions with other medications and a sizable risk of overdose. If you overdose, the symptoms may include: Chest pain, chills and fever, seizure activity, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, and possible even breathing problems compounding those the patient was already experiencing as a result of the asthma attack.

Fast-acting asthma medications are usually administered to the patient by use of an inhaler, which requires the patient to breathe in the medication, which is given in small concentrated bursts. The benefits to using an inhaled medication to address the symptoms of an asthma attack include:

Less side effects, like stomach upset that may occur when taking a medication in tablet form.
Immediate action of the medication, again unlike tablet form medications which need to be absorbed through the blood-stream in order to begin working.
Smaller required dosage.
The body processes and eliminates the medication almost immediately as it hits the lungs. Most inhaled medications are absorbed by the lungs and any by-products are immediately removed from the body via the kidneys.

Generally, fast-acting asthma medications are taken only on an as-needed basis and in response to the symptoms of an oncoming asthma attack or and attack that is already in progress. The technical term for these medications is “bronchodilator.” As the word indicated, the medication dilates the air passages in order to allow oxygen to circulate properly.

Bronchodilators work quickly with the body to relieve the symptoms for the person having the asthma attack, however the relief provided is not meant to be continuous, rather short term relief is given. It is imperative for asthmatics to take their fast-acting medications quickly, as soon as they start to experience symptoms indicating an oncoming attack. Therefore, it is necessary that the asthmatic always have an inhaler containing the appropriate medication with them.

The following is an example of a short-term medication that is not fast-acting:

Hydrocortisone

Hydrocortisone is a steroid that is also produced by the human adrenal gland. Like adrenaline, the steroid hormone is released into the body in response to an irritant or allergen.

The reason that this steroid is given to asthmatics is to calm the lining of airways that have been affected by an irritant or atmospheric change.

Unlike adrenaline, hydrocortisone does not provide instantaneous relief from an attack.

Hydrocortisone is best administered to a patient who recognizes pre-attack symptoms, rather than someone already in the midst of a full-blown acute asthma attack.

Steroids, like hydrocortisone sooth the affected air passages but they will lose effectiveness with overuse. Thus, in most cases steroids are used in emergency cases where a Bronchodilator is unable to stop an attack on its own.

The second type of asthma medication is the long-term maintenance medications, which are used not to treat attacks as they happen but instead they treat the illness preventatively. They work over an extended period of time in order to develop resistances within the body that enable the patient to avoid acute attacks. Unlike fast-relief medications, these medications will not give immediate results. Patients must attain a specific amount of the medication in their blood in order to get the effects of the treatment regimen.

Corticosteroids are the most effective type of medications used to treat asthma long term. They reduce the swelling and sensitivity of airways within asthmatic patients. The most common administration method for these medications is inhalation, similar to the administration of fast-acting medications.

If a patient experiences more than a few mild acute asthma attacks, then treatment by long-term medications is usually recommended by their physician. They are quite effective in the treatment of chronic asthma that is moderate to severe.

Inhaled long-term medications may not be the best option for all patients, especially infants and small children. For this reason, these medications are also available in tablet and liquid form in dosages appropriate for the treatment of asthma.

Other types of long-term asthma medications include:

Cromolyn	Cromolyn and another medication called Nedocrimil are two examples of medications used for moderate asthma patients.
Theophylline	This medication is often used in conjunction with corticosteroids in the treatment of mild to moderate asthma cases. Because of the risks associated with this medication, and in order to assure effectiveness, it is imperative that patients routinely have blood work done by their physician.
Leukotriene Modifiers	These long term medications are also used both alone and in combination with other medications such as corticosteroids in the treatment of mild to moderate asthma.
Beta-Agonists	Beta-agonists are bronchodilators as discussed above, but they are not fast-acting. They are commonly used in very serious asthma cases.

The disadvantage to taking long-term asthma medication to provide preventative protection against acute flare-ups is that once a regimen is started, it will be necessary to adhere completely in order to retain the level of protection necessary for the patient.

Asthma medications frequently need to be reviewed by a patient’s physician in order to ensure that the medication continues to be effective for the patient in controlling and preventing the onset of asthma attacks.

Many patients will require not just a preventative or reactive medication, but a tailored combination of both types of medications in order to provide them with maximum relief from their illness. Most physicians agree that the desired outcome it to get the maximum relief from the minimum amount of medication.

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Overview … Asthma Treatment

There is currently no cure available for asthma, however new discoveries in the medical research field are increasing the medications and techniques used to monitor and treat asthma in patients with the disease.
Asthma medications frequently need to be reviewed by a patient’s physician in order to ensure that the medication continues to be effective for the patient in controlling and preventing the onset of asthma attacks.
Inhaled long-term medications may not be the best option for all patients, especially infants and small children. For this reason, these medications are also available in tablet and liquid form in dosages appropriate for the treatment of asthma.

Asthma Guide

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