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Asthma MedicationLearn About Different Kinds Of Asthma Medications To Decide The Right Method For You
It also prove that the real cause of asthma extrinsic is inflammation, not bronchoconstriction. That’s why modern medical providers uses anti inflammatory drugs as their main weapon, while bronchodillator is only as a supportive medication. Let’s take a look on many kinds of asthma medication and their functions....
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The most powerful and easy-to-use anti-inflammatory drugs, is inhaled corticosteroid, which made it to be the best medication to prevent your lungs from asthma symptoms. However it will not function effectively for curing the existing inflammatory. Several months after you regularly use inhaled corticosteroid, you will see that your asthma attack frequent will be decreasing, the severeness is also decreasing, and your performance on peak flow meter will be increasing. Q: Is it safe to use inhaled corticosteroid in long term? A: Inhaled corticosteroid is an inhaler medication, thus the medicine go directly to the airways and lungs, without passing other organs, like in oral corticosteroid. It works by putting the adequate dose of corticosteroid only on the appropriate area that really need the medication. Therefore, inhaled corticosteroid is safe to be used in long term. Q: What is the maximum dose I can take safely? A: Many researches result revealed that minimum or average dose of inhaled corticosteroid will not bring any effect to asthma patient. In fact, this medication helps patient to avoid the negative effect of using oral corticosteroid, such as bone density decreasing, eye problem (cataract), and problem on child’s growth. However, a high dose use of inhaled corticosteroid can increase the risk of cataract in adult. That’s why you should treat your asthma as early as possible. If your asthma has become more severe, please contact your doctor to discuss the suitable medication for you. |
These are the most common inhaled corticosteroid :
Beclomethasone Propionate
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Beclovent - 0,04 mg - for children with light asthma Vanceril - 40 mcg - for children Vanceril DS - 80 mcg - for adult QVAR Beconase Triamcinolone Acetonide Azmacort - 100 mcg Fluticasone Propionate Flovent - 44/110/220 mcg (metered dose) Flovent - 50/100/250 mcg (dry powder) Flunisolide Aerobid - 250 mcg - for children Aerobid-M - 250 mcg - for adult (plus mint flavor) Budesonide Pulmicort - 200 mcg - dry powder Pulmicort - 250/500 mcg - with nebulizer |
Chromone (Non Steroid
Anti-Inflammatory Drugs)
Included in this category are cromolyn sodium and nedocromil sodium. Both cromolyn and nedocromil becomes an effective and safe anti-inflammatory asthma drug. Working in a long term, cromolyn and nedocromil are to be used on daily basis to prevent the inflammation that often causing asthma. However, both of them are not functioning as reliever.
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The most common chromone are : Cromolyne Sodium Intal - 8 mg - metered doseIntal - 20 mg - for nebulizer Nedocromil Sodium Tilade - 1,75 mg - metered dose (slightly better than cromolyn) |
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Leukotriene Modifier
The newest non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs is leukotriene modifier, which works by blocking only one part of the inflammatory process or leukotriene path. Leukotriene is suitable for a light asthma, or as an additional medication when inhaled corticosteroid cannot control the asthma. Leucotriene comes in pils shape, with these brands,
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Brand:
Zyflo Accolate Singulair |
Dose/day:
4 times 2 times 2 times |
Usage: for > 12 years for > 7 years for > 2 years |
Long Acting Bronchodillator
The routine usage of inhaled corticosteroid in medium dose can’t somentimes control asthma. In such case, long acting bronchodillator can be a more effective medication compared to high dose of inhaled corticosteroid.
Salmeterol
Salmeterol is a long acting bronchodillator that can be used everyday. It starts working after half hour, by making the airways relax and widen, and will last until 12 hours. Salmeterol will be highly effectife when combined with inhaled corticosteroid. This combination is marketed under Advair brand. However, Sarmeterol will not be functioning as a quick reliever during asthma attack.
The common brand of Salmeterol is Serevent, comes both in metered dose inhaler and dry powder inhaler, which can only be used for adult or children over 12 years old.
Theophylline
Theophylline is another long acting bronchodillator, just like Salmeterol. However, theophylline is in the same group with caffeine, it is not good for a sensitive patient. Other side effect of theophylline is GERD (gastroesophagal reflux) which is often triggering asthma.
Theophylline can be found in liquid, tablets and sustained release capsules.
Uniphyl 1 time, SloBid 2 times, TheoDur 2 times
Many other brands, such as
Euphyllin and Quibron are also available.
Oral Corticosteroid
This drug is very powerful to cure inflammation in asthma. It needs only 6 to 8 hours to solve the difficulty breathing problems. However, oral corticosteroid is also known for its side effects, such as mood change and increasing of appetite. In cases of children who is suffering from chicken pox, oral corticosteroid can worsen their disease. The side effect in long term includes cataract, bone health problem, decreasing the infection resistance and children growth.
However the use of oral corticosteroid is only dangerous if consumed more than 5 days/use for more than 4 times a year.
Most common brands of oral corticosteroid are Prednison, Prednisolone, Methylprednisolone, and Dexamethasone.
Quick Reliever Drugs/Bronchodillator
As its name, bronchodillator drugs work very quickly to relieve muscles around your airways to make airways relax and widen. However, this inhaled drug only lasts for several hours. Quick reliever drugs only reduce asthma symptoms, not curing the airways inflammation that is the main cause of asthma.
Side effects of bronchodillator are very rare, but in few cases, stimulated, quick pulse and nausea can happen.
Albuterol
The most popular bronchodillator which is available in metered dose inhaler, liquid, tablets, as well extended release tablets. The inhaler is the best, as it works faster by going directly into the troubled airways. For children, spacer is now available to use bronchodillator easier. The most common brands are :
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Ventolin – metered dose inhaler, tablet, syrup and for nebulizer Proventil – dry powder inhaler Ascolen, Combivent, Servitamol, Ventide, Volmax, etc. Levalbulterol Hydrochloride (HCI) Xopenex Inhalation Solution – for nebulizer.
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Metaproterenol Sulphate
Alupent and Metaprol – not used anymore because of its dangerous side effect.
Asthma medication can also come as Metered Dose Inhaler and Nebulizer.
Besides drugs, it is good to try natural asthma cure. Cod liver is believed to reduce your asthma. Anyway, you can reduce side effects of drugs by using natural approaches.
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