Asthma Treatment

Pharmacotherapy can prevent and control asthma symptoms, improve quality of life, reduce frequency and severity of asthma exacerbations, and reverse airflow obstruction. The two main classes of asthma medications are long-term control medications... Full Answer

Your doctor’s office can help you make a plan just for you to help you control your asthma. A good plan means that: You won’t have as many asthma attacks. You won’t wheeze and cough as much, or maybe not at all. You will sleep better.... Full Answer

Here are some tips that will help you control your asthma: Follow your doctor’s orders. Learn what triggers your asthma. Everyone is different and everyone has different triggers. What are your triggers: dirty air, cigarette smoke, pets, insects,... Full Answer

The crux of any asthma medication regimen is a color-coded "Asthma Action Plan." This is developed individually for patients and is based on what their personal best peak flow meter reading is and what medications they are currently on. A traffic light... Full Answer

Long-acting beta agonists (LABAs) include salmeterol and formoterol and provide sustained relaxation of airway smooth muscle that can last up to 12 hours. LABAs are not recommended as monotherapy for chronic or acute therapy, a problem remedied by their... Full Answer

Leukotriene modifiers are a medication class including leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA) montelukast and zafirlukast, and the 5-lipoxegenase inhibitor zileuton, which is not approved for patients under 12 years old. LTRAs have a weak... Full Answer

The use of homeopathy to treat asthma has been reviewed. According to one review, including homeopathy with standard asthma treatments may not improve the treatment outcomes. More research is needed. You should read product labels, and discuss all... Full Answer

An asthmatic athlete will ignore his treatment because he thinks it doesn't look tough enough to have a rescue inhaler on the sidelines during practice, or worse, he won't tell the athletic director about his condition, for fear that he won't be allowed... Full Answer

Chronic asthma is a disease that is with you everyday—similar to diabetes.  Even when you are feeling o.k., the airways may be changing (called re-modeling).  An “asthma attack” is caused by airway constriction due to... Full Answer

The indirect costs of untreated or undertreated asthma can be counted in days lost at school and work (asthma is the number-one cause of absenteeism), diminished performance, inactivity, and poorer prospects for achievement through one's entire life. Nor... Full Answer