Monday, February 6, 2012

Types of Asthma Medications

Several medications are available to treat asthma, including quick-relief and long-term relief medications. Discover which medicine is right for you.

Featured Asthma Drugs

  • asthma inhaler, asthma medicine, asthma treatment
    Ozone-Friendly HFA Inhalers
    They replaced the CFC albuterol inhalers as of Dec. 31, 2008, the result of a federal mandate to replace the CFCs to help protect the Earth's ozone layer.

Short-Acting Bronchodilators

  • Alupent Inhaler
    Alupent (metaproterenol) is a bronchodilator that opens breathing passages to make breathing easier.
  • Brethine Oral
    Brethine (tertbutaline) is a bronchodilator in a pill form used to treat symptoms of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis and emphysema.
  • Maxair Inhaler
    Maxair (pirbuterol) is an inhaler that relaxes the smooth muscle in the lungs and dilates airways.
  • Proventil Oral
    Proventil Oral is a pill-version of albuterol. It is used to treat wheezing and shortness of breath.
  • Xopenex HFA Inhaler
    Xopenex HFA (levalbuterol) is a new, environmentally friendly asthma inhaler. It may have fewer side effects than the old albuterol.

Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

  • Aerobid Inhaler
    Aerobid (flunisolide) is a corticosteroid that reduces swelling of the airways and decreases phlegm and other asthma symptoms.
  • Asmanex Twisthaler Inhaler
    Asmanex Twisthaler (mometasone) is a dry powder inhaler that delivers a corticosteroid to reduce inflammation in the airways to help control asthma.
  • Azmacort Inhaler
    Azmacort (triamcinolone) can be used to help decrease the dose of the medication that must be taken by mouth.
  • Pulmicort Turbuhaler Inhaler
    Pulmicort (budesonide) is a dry-powder inhaler used to control asthma by reducing swelling and inflammation in the airways.
  • Qvar Inhaler
    Qvar (beclomethasone) is a corticosteroid used to reduce swelling and inflammation in the lungs to control asthma symptoms.
  • Flovent HFA Inhaler
    Flovent HFA (fluticasone) is an environmentally friendly inhaler that delivers the corticosteroid to the lungs to reduce inflammation and swelling.
  • Intal Inhaler
    Intal (cromolyn) is in the drug class mast cell stabilizers. It works by preventing the release of histamines that may cause swelling of the airways.
  • Medrol Oral
    Medrol (methylprednisolone) is a corticosteroid used to treat asthma; allergies; arthritis; blood diseases; breathing problems; certain cancers; eye diseases; intestinal disorders; collagen and skin diseases.
  • Pediapred Oral
    Pediapred (prednisolone) is used alone or with other medications to treat a number of conditions, including allergies, breathing problems such as asthma, and certain cancers.

Long-Acting Bronchodilators

  • Foradil Inhaler
    Foradil (formoterol) is used to prevent/minimize breathing problems in persons 5 years and older with breathing difficulties
  • Serevent Inhaler
    Serevent (salmeterol) is used to prevent asthma brought on by exercise (bronchospasm) and works to relax muscles around the airways.
  • Theo-Dur Oral
    Theo-Dur (theophylline) is an older asthma medicine used to treat wheezing and breathing difficulties. It belongs to a drug class known as xanthines.

Combination Inhalers

  • Advair 100/50 Diskus combination asthma inhaler
    Advair Diskus Inhaler
    Advair is a combination asthma inhaler containing salmeterol (a bronchodilator) and fluticasone (a corticosteroid) for long-term asthma control.
  • Symbicort inhaler, combination asthma medicine, COPD treatment
    Symbicort HFA Inhaler
    Symbicort is a combination inhaler containing formoterol (a bronchodilator) and budesonide (a corticosteroid) for long-term asthma control.

Leukotriene Blockers

  • Accolate Oral
    Zafirlukast is used to prevent asthma symptoms and to decrease the number of asthma attacks in people 5 and older. It helps make breathing easier by reducing swelling (inflammation) in the airways. Regular use of this medication can help control your asthma, improve your ability to exercise, and decrease the number of times you need to use your rescue inhaler.
  • Singulair Drug Information Page
    Find our page dedicated to Singulair, drug information, side effects and news.
  • Zyflo Oral
    This medication is used to control long-term (chronic) asthma and help decrease the number of asthma attacks. Controlling asthma can decrease time lost from work or school. This drug improves asthma symptoms by blocking substances in the body called leukotrienes. It will not treat a sudden asthma attack.

Asthma Drug Facts