Asthma Medications

Excerpt

Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory airway disease marked by variable airflow obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and airway remodeling. It results from an inappropriate immune response to environmental and nonenvironmental triggers, leading to airway smooth muscle constriction, mucus overproduction, and persistent inflammation. Management emphasizes long-term symptom control and prevention of exacerbations through pharmacologic therapy and patient education. Asthma affects millions of adults and children worldwide and remains a major contributor to health care utilization and missed time at school or work.

A range of medication classes is used to manage chronic asthma, aiming to improve symptoms and prevent exacerbations. These include short-acting beta-2 agonists (SABAs), long-acting beta-2 agonists (LABAs), short-acting muscarinic antagonists (SAMAs), long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs), inhaled and systemic corticosteroids, eicosanoid modifiers, and newer biologics and biosimilars. Effective management emphasizes long-term symptom control and prevention of exacerbations through evidence-based pharmacologic therapy combined with patient education.