Asthma Healing
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| Asthma, Steroids, and Other Anti-Inflammatory Drugs |
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The key treatments for most people with asthma are steroids and other anti-inflammatory drugs. Not only do steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs help people gain better asthma control, but these asthma drugs help to prevent asthma attacks. Steroids and other anti-inflammatory drugs work by reducing swelling and mucus production in the airways of a person with asthma. As a result, the airways are less sensitive and less likely to react to asthma triggers, allowing people with symptoms of asthma to have better control over their condition.
What Are the Main Types of Steroids and Anti-Inflammatory Drugs That Control Asthma?
The main types of anti-inflammatory drugs for better asthma control are steroids or corticosteroids (inhaled and oral), mast cell stabilizers, the leukotriene modifier drugs, and IgE blockers.
What Are Inhaled Steroids?
Inhaled steroids are the most effective asthma medications to reduce airway inflammation and mucus production. The use of inhaled steroids leads to:
Note that while inhaled steroids prevent asthma symptoms, they do not relieve asthma symptoms you already have. Dosages of inhaled steroids in asthma inhalers vary.
Inhaled steroids need to be taken daily for best results. Some improvement in asthma symptoms can be seen in one to three weeks after starting inhaled steroids, with the best results seen after three months of daily use.
Inhaled steroids (asthma inhalers) for better asthma control include:
Inhaled steroids come in three forms: the metered dose inhaler (MDI), dry powder inhaler (DPI), and nebulizer solutions.
What Are the Side Effects of Inhaled Steroids?
Inhaled steroids have few side effects, especially at lower doses. If you are taking higher doses, thrush (yeast infection in the mouth) and hoarseness may occur, although this is rare. Rinsing the mouth, gargling after using the asthma inhaler and using a spacer device with metered dose inhalers will help prevent these side effects. Thrush is easily treated with an antifungal mouthwash.
Inhaled steroids (asthma inhalers) are safe for adults and children. Side effects with these anti-inflammatory asthma inhalers are minimal. Your doctor will prescribe the lowest dose that effectively controls your or your child's asthma.
On a side note, many parents are concerned about giving their children "steroids." The inhaled steroids are not the same as anabolic steroids that some athletes take to build muscle. These steroids are anti-inflammatory drugs, the cornerstone of asthma therapy. There are many benefits of using anti-inflammatory asthma inhalers to self-manage asthma.
What Are the Benefits of Using Inhaled Steroids?
The benefits of inhaled steroids for better asthma control far exceed their risks, and include:
How do Prednisone and Systemic Steroids Work to Increase Asthma Control?
Using systemic steroids (steroids that get into the bloodstream and not just the lungs) such as prednisone with asthma helps to treat severe asthma episodes, allowing people to gain better asthma control. Prednisone and other steroid drugs are used with asthma medications to either control sudden and severe asthma attacks or to treat long-term, hard-to-control asthma.
Systemic steroids take three hours to begin working and work best after six to 12 hours. Sometimes prednisone and other steroids are taken in high doses for a few days (called a steroid burst). They may also be given in a low dose daily or every other day for long-term control.
Systemic steroids include:
Side effects of systemic steroids tend to occur after months or years of use and include: acne, weight gain, mood or behavior changes, upset stomach, bone loss, eye changes, and slowing of growth. These side effects rarely occur with short-term use, such as for an acute asthma attack.
How Do the Leukotriene Modifiers Improve Asthma Control?
Accolate, Singulair, and Zyflo are called leukotriene modifies. Leukotrienes are chemicals that occur naturally in our bodies and cause tightening of airway muscles and production of mucus and fluid. Leukotriene modifier drugs help control asthma by blocking the actions of leukotrienes in the body. Studies show that these medications are helpful in improving airflow and reducing asthma symptoms.
The leukotriene modifiers are taken as pills one to four times a day and have been shown to decrease the need for other asthma medications. These medications have been shown to be effective in people with allergic rhinitis and may be effective in people with both allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma.
What Are the Side Effects of Leukotriene Modifiers?
The most common side effects of leukotriene modifiers are headache and nausea. Leukotriene modifiers may interfere with the proper action of some other medications (for example, theophylline and the blood thinner Coumadin). Make sure you inform your doctor of all the medications you are taking. Other side effects of leukotriene modifiers may be found as these medications become more widely used.
What Are the Mast Cell Stabilizers?
Mast cell stabilizers, such as Intal and Tilate, are inhaled asthma medications (asthma inhalers) that work by preventing the release of irritating and inflammatory substances from immune cells called mast cells. They effectively prevent asthma symptoms, especially in children with allergies and asthma and in people with exercise-induced asthma. These asthma inhalers need to be taken two to four times a day, and they take three to four weeks to start working.
These asthma inhalers are very safe and have few side effects. Tilade can cause dry throat and can have a bad taste.
How Do Immunoglobulin E (IgE) Blockers Work to Improve Asthma Control?
Xolair, an immunoglobulin E (IgE) blocker, works differently than other anti-inflammatory medications for asthma. Xolair blocks IgE (an allergy antibody) before it causes the reactions that can lead to asthma attacks. Anti-IgE therapy has been shown to help reduce symptoms in moderate to severe allergic asthma.
Xolair, a prescription medication, is given by injection every two to four weeks. It’s recommended for people whose asthma symptoms are not controlled with inhaled steroids.
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