Drugs to treat Asthma
The most widely used preparations contain ingredients that act as bronchodilators, meaning they relax and
widen the airways which link the windpipe and lugs. To treat severe attacks known to originate in an allergic
response, an inhalant may be prescribed.
When these medications, separately or in combination, fail to produce the desired results of relaxing bronchiolar
muscles, reducing inflammation and swelling of mucous membranes and loosening the obstructive plugs of viscous
mucus a corticosteroid may be prescribed in aerosol form, so that it can be inhaled directly to the airways
instead of being absorbed into the body, as would be the case with cortisone preparations taken by mouth or
by injection. Steroid drugs should be used under close medical supervision and are usually reserved to treat
the more severe asthmatics.
Breathing exercises and biofeedback techniques are among the more unconventional methods now being used to
forestall attacks, minimize their unpleasantness and shorten their duration. However, to avoid falling victim
to quackery, make sure these approaches are taught by recognized medical authorities.
Complications and Precautions
Untreated asthma can lead to emphysema, because the continued stretching of the bronchial sacs during attacks
by accumulations of stale air can eventually enlarge the delicate tissues to the point where they lose their
elasticity and cease to function. However, self-treatment is inadvisable and especially dangerous for older
people who attribute their chronic shortness of breath to asthma when, in fact, they may be suffering from
progressive heart failure. Anyone who experiences breathing difficulty should consult a doctor.
Summing Up
Asthma, especially if untreated, can be a disabling disease that afflicts both children and adults. Efforts
should be made to identify precipitating causes, especially in children, because effective treatment is
then easier to prescribe.
A variety of therapeutic approaches may be tried to control asthma; effective therapy usually involves
combinations of treatments that may include drugs, avoidance of precipitating causes and desensitization
shots. Although many people have the mistaken notion that asthma is an emotional disorder, this does not
seem to be the case. However, asthma--like any chronic disease--can produce emotional problems that involve
not only the victim but other family members as well. Emotional support, for both the patient and family
members, is an important element in the overall treatment of asthma.
