Asthma
Quick Relief Medications
These medications are generally used as needed for rapid, short term relief of symptoms during an asthma attack. If you need to use these medications too often, you probably need to adjust your long-term control medication.
The following are all quick relief medications grouped together by medication type.
| Bronchodilators – short acting beta-2 agonists – these are inhaled medications that temporarily ease breathing by relaxing airway muscles. Such medications act within minutes and their effects last 4-6 hours.
Inhaled or Oral Bronchodilator Medications Include: |
| Generic Names: Albuterol or Albuterol Sulfate
Brand Names: Accuneb, Proventil HFA, Ventolin HFA, ProAir HFA, Proventil Repetabs (tablet), VoSpire ER |
|
| Generic Name: Pirbuterol Acetate
Brand Name: Maxair |
|
| Generic Name: Terbutaline Sulfate
Brand Name: Brethine (tabs only) |
|
| Generic Name: Levalbuterol Hydrochloride
Brand Name: Xopenex |
|
| Generic Name: Levalbuterol tartrate
Brand Name: Xopenex HFA |
Possible side effects include, but are not limited to: increased heart rate, palpitations, nausea, vomiting, nervousness, headache, sleeplessness, tremor, shaking feeling |
Ipratropium Bromide – a medication mostly used for emphysema and chronic bronchitis, it is an inhaled anticholinergic for the immediate relief of your symptoms and works like other bronchodilators.
| Generic Name: Ipratropium Bromide
Brand Name: Atrovent |
Possible side effects include, but are not limited to: dry mouth and rapid heart beat. |
| Oral and Intravenous Corticosteroids – these are the most potent asthma medications. They treat acute asthma attacks or very severe asthma by relieving airway inflammation. They may cause serious side effects when used long term, so they are only used to treat severe asthma symptoms. |
Oral Corticosteroids Include:
| Generic Name: Dexamethasone
Brand Names: Decadron, Deltasone |
| Generic Name: Prednisone
Brand Name: Orasone |
Possible side effects include, but are not limited to: decreased or blurred vision, frequent urination, insomnia, increased thirst or appetite, mood changes, nervousness, restlessness, skin rash, poorly controlled hypertension and diabetes. If used long-term, you may be predisposed to fractures, cataracts, and GI ulcers. |
|
Monoclonal antibodies (anti IgE antibodies) – these injections reduce your immune system’s reaction to allergens by blocking IgE. Xolair is delivered by injection every two to four weeks. Intravenous Corticosteriods Include:
| Generic Name: Omalizumab
Brand Name: Xolair |
Possible side effects include, but are not limited to: injection-site reaction, headache, sinusitis, sore throat viral infections, and upper respiratory tract infection. |
Last modified: October 5, 2008
