Bronchial Asthma Treatment and Drugs
How to treat Asthma?
The treatment for Asthma is based on the frequency and severity of the Asthma attacks.
Symptomatic treatment can be given for asthma as in the case of cough. The lung is the main target organ of many diseases including infections, malignancy, occupational diseases, and rheumatological diseases. Some drugs like amiodarone and methotrexate adversely affect the pulmonary interstitium. Heart failure may lead to pulmonary edema. Thromboembolic diseases and pulmonary hypertension affect pulmonary circulation.
Treatment for Asthma includes the following Classes of Drugs:
The person who is susceptible to Asthma should avoid the allergens and triggers and should be away from them. He should improve the ventilation of the living areas and he can use air conditioning.
Bronchodilators:
Short-acting beta-adrenergic receptor activators act as bronchodilators. Bronchodilators can be administered as required in the form of a nebulizer solution by using a metered dispenser or it may be injected subcutaneously. Bronchodilators dilate the bronchioles and prevent bronchoconstriction. They do not prevent the inflammatory response. Examples:- Albuterol, Terbutaline
Xanthine Drugs:
Xanthine drugs cause bronchodilation and inhibit the late phase of Asthma. These drugs are administered orally as second-line drugs in combination with other therapies like steroids. Example:- Theophylline. Theophylline has a significant central nervous system, and cardiovascular and gastrointestinal side effects, this limits its overall usefulness of the theophylline.
Anti-inflammatory Drugs:
Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory drugs. These steroids are administered orally or by inhalation to blunt the inflammatory response of Asthma. The long-term oral use of corticosteroids may produce significant adverse effects that include immunosuppression, increases susceptibility to infections, and osteoporosis, and also shows effects on other hormones like glucocorticoids.
Cromolyn Sodium:
Cromolyn sodium is an anti-inflammatory agent that inhibits both the early and late stages of Asthma. Its mechanism of action involves the mast cell function or its response to allergens.
Leukotriene Modifiers:
These are the new class of agents that blocks the synthesis of inflammatory mediators named leukotrienes. Examples:- Zafirlukast