Asthma is a lung condition that causes breathing difficulty, and symptoms can range from mild wheezing to severe coughing, chest tightness and extreme breathlessness. Patients with mild asthma have brief wheezing episodes that occur more than twice a week but still less than once a day. Asthma attacks do not occur more than twice a month, although it may be acute enough to affect normal physical activities. The mildest form of asthma is intermittent, and symptoms are limited to less than twice per week. Asthma is a chronic condition whether it is mild or severe, so management is key in preventing symptoms from becoming worse.
Long-Term Control
The goal of asthma treatment is to prevent the airways from becoming inflamed. Long-term medications prevent the muscles from tightening and the airways from reacting to triggers and stresses, and each type of drug differs in its approach to treating the underlying causes of asthma. Inhaled corticosteroids such as Flovent, Vanceril or Azmacort reduce the amount of mucus in the lungs and keep the airways from swelling. Long-acting beta agonists such as Serevent can control daily symptoms, including nighttime attacks. The drug also helps prevent asthma attacks caused by exercise. Leukotriene blockers like Singulair open up the airways, and also prevent inflammation and excess mucus build-up. Long-term medications need to be taken daily for them to become effective.
Quick-relief Medications
Quick-relief medications quickly relieve symptoms and prevent asthma attacks from worsening. Patients with mild symptoms (occurring less than once a week) may only need to have quick-relief medications on hand in case of flare-ups. The best drugs for relieving asthma attacks are the short-acting beta-adrenergic agonists like Proventil and Albuterol because the drugs quickly open the airways and relax the muscles that tighten during flare-ups. Short-acting beta agonists relieve the symptoms quickly and can also prevent exercise-induced asthma.
Combination Therapy
Patients with asthma symptoms that occur more than twice a week but less than once a day may have persistent mild asthma. When taken regularly, a combination therapy consisting of different types of medications help to prevent attacks and manage the symptoms of mild to moderate asthma. Examples of combination therapies are inhaled corticosteroid with a bronchodilator, corticosteroid with a leukotriene blocker or an inhaled corticosteroid with an inhaled long-acting bronchodilator. New drug products like Advair Diskus combine the corticosteroid fluticasone and the bronchodilator salmeterol in one drug.
