Long acting beta2 agonists

Symbicort is a combination medication

In the management of asthma, long-term control of symptoms is vital. If not, patients will have to suffer frequent bouts of asthma attacks and may require frequent hospital admissions. At the same time, the quality of life among such patients will also diminish. Long acting beta2 agonists is one drug that can help relieve moderate to severe persistent asthma although it should not be used alone but only in combination with a corticosteroids.

Short acting Beta2 agonists

Ventolin inhalers are commonly used

Beta2 agonists are known to be the ‘relievers’ of acute asthma attacks and is the first choice when it comes to managing asthmatic attacks. It is also useful in managing intermittent asthma symptoms as well as asthma that may result following exercises. 

How does short-acting beta2 agonists work?

Effective Bronchodilators for asthma

Salbutamol is one of the short-acting bronchodilators

Bronchodilators as their name suggest are drugs, which are capable of dilating the air passages within the lungs. Thus, these medications are helpful in managing bronchial narrowing which will take place during an asthmatic attack or else to prevent such occurrences among susceptible individuals. However, not all bronchodilators are alike and according to their speed of action, there are two categories of bronchodilators, which are the short-acting ones, and the long-acting bronchodilators. 

Oral steroids for asthma

Oral steroids are used to treat severe asthma

Oral steroids such as prednisone are used to treat asthma and act much in the same way as inhaled corticosteroids. However, given its route and the strength of the dosing, oral prednisone will be absorbed systemically and will have a greater influence on the other body organs and systems than it would be with inhaled corticosteroids. Therefore, the use of prednisone and other oral steroids are limited to instances of acute and severe attacks of asthma and is given in short bursts no more than 2 weeks at a time.

Inhaled corticosteroids for asthma

Inhaled corticosteroids are highly useful to control asthma

The medications including the group inhaled corticosteroids that you have been prescribed to control your asthma may be different to the medications used by someone else. The reason being that the type and the frequency of the medications used will be determined by the doctors based on the patients’ age, sex, severity of the asthma symptoms, general wellbeing, control of asthma symptoms, compliance as well as on the potential for side effects. Doctors may have to change the dosage and review the treatment plan from time to time in order to arrive at the best possible combination.

Asthma medications explained

Asthma medications include many different varieties

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the lungs and the airways. It is characterized by the presence of decreased airflow from time to time, production of mucus and cough. Thus, the main aim of the medications used to control this disease should be to reduce the inflammation within the respiratory system and maintain the patency of the air passages without allowing them to narrow or be blocked with mucus from time to time. However, there isn’t a medication that can completely wipe off asthma yet, and it is essential that those who are suffering from asthma understand and utilize the most appropriate medications without missing too many doses throughout their lives.

Problems in the lungs causing breathlessness explained

Breathlessness can be a direct manifestation of causes in the lungs

Breathlessness is a common symptom in many different disorders related to the lungs, airways, circulation and other bodily systems. Some of these causes are benign while some are very serious. Similarly, the breathlessness caused by different disorders can also vary in intensity. 

However, the intensity of the breathlessness does not necessarily indicate the seriousness of the underlying problem. In any event, it is important for anyone suffering from breathlessness to understand what causes his or her breathlessness. 

How to manage asthma symptoms during the winter

Winter months can be rather tricky on asthmatics as it usually triggers at least a mild asthma attack among many such persons. However, if you are careful enough, you can prevent a major asthmatic attack of catastrophic nature without having to leave your home. 

Winter months can play tricks on asthmatic patients and cause SOB from time to time

Exercise induced shortness of breath is not always Asthma

Exercise-induced asthma like symptoms may not be asthma after all

For many years, medical practitioners thought that the significant shortness of breath experienced after some amount of exercise was mainly due to exacerbation of asthma. However, recent research suggests that this was not the case. In fact, the commonest reason for people to demonstrate asthma like symptoms is reaching their natural limits of stamina and not any medical disorders.

Asthma triggers during winter holidays

Winter holidays can expose you to new allergens

With the winter holidays just around the corner, many of us are in a joyous mood. This is a time where we get to enjoy various Christmas foods, which we do not usually eat throughout the year. We also decorate our homes and keeps the best possible Christmas tree that we can find in the middle of our house.   

Not only these, we also tend to enjoy the wintery weather and if snow is around, it will be double the fun. In places where there isn’t any snow, artificial snow machines are working 24hrs a day to bring that snowy Christmas spirit or at times, we tend to use such machines inside our homes as well.

The link between obesity and asthma

Obesity is a global issue which also links with SOB

If you are suffering from obesity and asthma, it may be probable that the two are linked either directly or indirectly. While researchers have recognized obese people are more prone to develop asthma, you should not be worried about asthmatics being more prone to develop obesity, as yet! In any event, if you are a overweight or obese individual, it is worthwhile to known how the two conditions are linked as it may be useful in the long-term management of both conditions.

Common and uncommon causes of long-term shortness of breath

Difficulty in breathing can have many different reasons

When someone experience shortness of breath (SOB) for the first time or as a sudden occurrence, it can definitely be a frightening experience. However, when the shortness of breath is a common occurrence, at regular intervals, people tend to consider it a daily nuisance. You or one of your loved ones may be experiencing a similar problem and you may wonder, what exactly is causing this shortness of breath?

I have come across many patients who are suffering from SOB for most part of their lives and at times, they have not even considered that it may indeed be a medical issue. For instance, the SOB that results from a gradual depletion of red blood cells in the circulation, which is commonly known as ‘anemia’, might not even get noticed until late.