Asthma is a bronchial disease, which means that it is a disorder of the airways. Patients with asthma have airways that become inflamed in response to certain triggers. This inflammation causes the airways to swell and become closed off, making breathing difficult. There are a number of asthma treatments that focus on the bronchial system, many of which are inhaled because that allows them to work directly on the affected part of the body.
Quick-Relief Medications
One type of asthma treatment is quick-relief medications, which are also known as short-acting bronchodilators, the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology explains. These medications mimic a chemical that the body produces to cause the muscles around the airways to relax. Short-acting bronchodilator medications must be inhaled and include the compounds albuterol, levalbuterol and pirbuterol. These drugs are designed to be used only if the asthma symptoms are getting worse and, although they provide very rapid relief, they only work for a short period of time.
Inhaled Corticosteroids
Inhaled corticosteroids are often the best course of treatment for long-term asthma control, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute explains. Corticosteroids are medications that inhibit the body's inflammatory response. Because asthma is caused by abnormal inflammation, corticosteroids are able to modulate some of the processes that lead to asthma. These medications are inhaled so that they can work directly on the lining of the airways instead having an effect on the entire body. Corticosteroids do inhibit the body's immune response, so patients taking inhaled corticosteroids may be prone to developing a fungal infection known as thrush.
Long-Acting Beta Agonists
Long-acting beta agonists work like quick relief medications, but they take longer to have an effect, the Mayo Clinic explains. On the other hand, these medications work for a longer period of time. Examples of these long-acting beta agonists are salmeterol and fromoterol, and all forms of these drugs are inhaled. If taken alone, these medications can actually cause asthma to get much worse, so they are generally only taken in combination with inhaled corticosteroids. To work properly, these compounds must be taken every day.
Cromolyn
Cromolyn is another medications that blocks the inflammatory response in the airways. Cromolyn works by blocking the secretion of chemicals that trigger inflammation. Like many medications that act directly on the airways, cromolyn must be inhaled to be effective and should be taken on a regular basis for long-term asthma control.
