RELIEVE ASTHMA

Inhalers are the main treatment for asthma. There are many different types of inhaler, which can be confusing. The drug inside an inhaler goes straight into the airways. Therefore, you need a much smaller dose than if you took the drug as a tablet or liquid by mouth. The airways are treated, but little of the drug gets into the rest of the body. Therefore, side-effects are unlikely to occur, or are minor. In the treatment of asthma, the drugs inside inhalers can be grouped into 'relievers', 'preventers' and 'long acting bronchodilators'.

You can take a reliever inhaler 'as required' to ease symptoms when you are breathless or wheezy. The drug in a reliever inhaler relaxes the muscle in the airways. This opens the airways wider, and symptoms usually quickly ease. These drugs are called bronchodilators as they dilate (widen) the bronchi (airways).
These are taken every day to prevent symptoms from developing.

The drug commonly used in preventer inhalers is a steroid. Steroids work by reducing the inflammation in the airways. When the inflammation has gone, the airways are much less likely to become narrow and cause symptoms.

The drugs in long acting bronchodilators inhalers work in a similar way to 'relievers', but work for up to 12 hours after taking each dose. Some brands of inhaler contain a steroid plus a long acting bronchodilator for people who need both to control their symptoms.