Asthma
List of Medications for Asthma.
Asthma is a chronic disorder that affects the lungs with the most common symptom being trouble breathing of varying degree. Several types of listed asthma medications, including steroids to reduce inflammations, anti-allergens, and quick-acting bronchodilators.
These medications can come in tablet form, as an inhaler, or be administered as an injection.
Quick Acting Asthma Relief Medications
Albuterol is a short-acting beta agonist which works on the lung airways to relax the muscles and open the breathing passages, allowing more air to enter with each breath.
Levalbuterol is very similar to albuterol, being in the same class of drugs. It is a quick-relief inhaler meant to reduce acute systems experienced in an asthmatic episode such as a severe asthma attack.
Metaproterenol can come in a variety of forms including oral tablets, syrup, or inhalers. It used to treat shortness of breath or wheezing caused by chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma.
Epinephrine medication, commonly known by its brand name Epipen, is considered one of the most important asthma medications for people with asthma, especially those with severe asthma who are prone to serious asthmatic attacks. It is used in emergency, life-threatening asthmatic episodes.
Patients who suffer from or are at risk of severe and/or life-threatening asthma attacks are often advised to have an Epinephrine dose handy at all times for such events.
Long Term Control Asthma Medications
Beclomethasone known by the brand name QVAR is a steroid that slows and prevents the release of inflammation causing chemicals our body naturally releases.
Flunisolide can be used as an inhaler or a nasal spray and is used to treat seasonal or year round asthma symptoms. Flunisolide is a steroid which acts on breathing and airway passages to reduce swelling and inflammation symptoms commonly occuring in asthma patients.
Fluticasone is a steroid that can help alleviate swelling and inflammation of breathing and airway passages. It is often used as an inhaler form and taken in combination with oral steroids. Fluticasone can prevent asthma attacks but cannot treat an asthma attack that has already begun.
Mometasone is a steroid administered as an inhaler that reduces inflammation and swelling and can help prevent and relieve asthma symptoms. Mometasone should be used regularly on a daily basis, as it is not meant to be used during after an asthma attack has already begun.
Long Acting Beta Agonists:
Salmeterol is a a long-acting beta agonist that makes breathing easier by opening up lung airways. Serevent is the main brand name for Salmeterol. Salmeterol comes in inhalar form and is used to prevent and treat symptoms of asthma when taken regularly but should not be used to treat an asthma attack that is already occurring.