Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs that causes symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest and difficulty breathing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that over 23 million people in the U.S. currently have asthma. The Mayo Clinic advises working with a doctor to determine the right medications to treat each individual case of asthma, for which there are many different types of generic drugs available.
Corticosteroids
Inflammation in the lungs inhibits breathing by causing the lining of the airway to swell, and the production of mucus. Corticosteroids treat the inflammation in the airways. Corticosteroids are often available in an inhaler form and are called inhaled corticosteroids. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) reports that inhaled corticosteroids are "the most consistently effective long-term control medication at all steps of care for persistent asthma." Corticosteroids are also available in pill form, and are used in short-course treatment to treat periods of severe exacerbation of asthma symptoms. They are also used long-term for people with excessively severe chronic asthma. Drugs.com reports that examples of generic inhaled corticosteroids are flunisolide, ciclesonide, and triamcinolone; examples of generic oral corticosteroids are triamcinolone, prednisone, dexamethasone and methylprednisolone.
Bronchodilators
The NHLBI reports that bronchodilators are a class of medications that relax the smooth muscle that surrounds the airways, helping to relieve difficulty breathing and tightness in the chest. According to NHLBI, short-acting bronchodilators are used to treat the acute symptoms of an asthma attack. They serve as "rescue inhalers" because they quickly restore the ability to breathe easily. NHLBI reports that examples of generic short-acting bronchodilators are albuterol, levalbuterol and pirbuterol. Another type of bronchodilator is a long-acting form; because this medication does not work immediately, it cannot be used as a rescue inhaler. However, it is useful in treating symptoms of asthma over a whole day, versus the 4 to 6 hours of a short-acting bronchodilator. Examples of generic long-acting bronchodilators, according to the NHLBI, are salmeterol and formeterol. NHLBI notes that long-acting bronchodilators are only approved for use in combination with inhaled corticosteroids, which is due to serious complications observed when using these medications alone.
Cromolyn Sodium
MedlinePlus, an online medical encyclopedia sponsored by the U.S. National Medical Library, reports that another type of medication used for the treatment of asthma is cromolyn sodium. It works by preventing substances from being released in the airway that cause inflammation. Like bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids, cromolyn sodium also comes in the form of an inhaler to deliver the medication directly to the lungs. NHLBI adds that cromolyn sodium may also be used to prevent asthma symptoms during exercise.
