Table of Contents
- Highlights
- Introduction
- Causes
- Risk Factors
- Prognosis
- Symptoms
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Quick-Relief Medications
- Long-Term Relief Medications
- Other Treatments
- Managing Asthma at Home
- Resources
- References
Long-Term Relief Medications
These medications are taken on a regular basis to prevent asthma attacks and control chronic symptoms.
Inhaled Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids, also called glucocorticoids or steroids, are powerful anti-inflammatory drugs. Steroids are not bronchodilators (they do not relax the airways) and have little short-term effect on symptoms. Instead, they work over time to reduce inflammation and prevent permanent injury in the lungs. They can also help prevent asthma attacks from occurring. The use of inhaled corticosteroids in patients with moderate-to-severe asthma reduces the risk of rehospitalization and death from asthma.
Taking a corticosteroid drug through an inhaler makes it possible to provide effective local anti-inflammatory activity in the lungs with very few side effects elsewhere in the body. (By contrast, steroids taken by mouth have considerable side effects throughout the body.) Inhaled corticosteroids are recommended as the primary therapy for any patient needing long-term control medications for persistent asthma.
Examples of inhaled corticosteroids:
- The most recent generation of inhaled steroids include fluticasone (Flovent), budesonide (Pulmicort), triamcinolone (Azmacort and others), flunisolide (AeroBid), mometasone furoate (Asmanex), and ciclesonide (Alvesco). These steroids are sometimes combined with a long-acting beta2-agonist in a single inhaler, such as budesonide-formoterol (Symbicort), fluticasone-salmeterol (Advair), and mometasone-formoterol (Dulera).
- The older corticosteroid inhalants are beclomethasone (Beclovent, Vanceril) and dexamethasone (Decadron Phosphate Respihaler and others).
Optimal timing of the dose is important and may vary depending on the medication.
Previous Section
Review Date: 05/03/2011
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine,
Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.
Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M.,
Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
