Asthma Attack Prevention

Current asthma treatment protocols recommend prevention medications such as an inhaled corticosteroid, which helps to suppress inflammation and reduces the swelling of the lining of the airways, in anyone who has frequent (greater than twice a week) need of relievers or who has severe asthma symptoms.

If asthma symptoms persist, additional preventive drugs are added until the asthma is controlled. With the proper use of prevention drugs, asthmatics can avoid the complications that result from overuse of relief medications.
 

Asthma Prevention cont..

Asthma Preventive Agents include the following:

Inhaled glucocorticoids (fluticasone, budesonide, beclomethasone, mometasone, flunisolide, and triamcinolone).
Leukotriene modifiers (montelukast, zafirlukast, pranlukast, and zileuton).

Mast cell stabilizers (cromoglicate (cromolyn), and nedocromil).

Antimuscarinics/anticholinergics (ipratropium, oxitropium), which have a mixed reliever and preventer effect. (These are rarely used in preventive treatment of asthma, except in patients who do not tolerate beta-2-agonists.)

Methylxanthines (theophylline and aminophylline), which are sometimes considered if sufficient control cannot be achieved with inhaled glucocorticoids and long-acting β-agonists alone.

Antihistamines, often used to treat allergic symptoms that may underlie the chronic inflammation. In more severe cases, hyposensitization ("allergy shots") may be recommended.

Omalizumab, an IgE blocker; this can help patients with severe allergic asthma that does not respond to other drugs. However, it is expensive and must be injected.

Methotrexate is occasionally used in some difficult-to-treat patients.

If chronic acid indigestion (GERD) contributes to a patient's asthma, it should also be treated, because it may prolong the respiratory problem.

Asthma Information