Asthma treatment

There are two primary kinds of medicine to treat asthma, fast-acting "rescue" medication and long-acting "controller" medication.

Fast-acting or "rescue" medication

• These fast-acting inhalers act quickly and wear off quickly.
• This type of medication, called Albuterol, has several brand names such as Ventolin, ProAir, Proventil and Xopenex.
• They work to relax the muscles around airways that have been narrowed by tightened airway muscles (bronchospasm).
• They can be used as needed for wheeze and cough and should always be used with a spacer.
• Asthma inhalers (sometimes called pumps or puffers) work as well as nebulizers if you use a spacer.

Long-acting or "controller" medication

• These long-acting inhalers act more slowly, but last longer.
• This type of medication, called inhaled corticosteroids, has several brand names such as QVAR, Flovent, Advair, Dulera and Symbicort.
• They work to reduce the swelling, irritation and mucus inside the airway so that the lungs can easily move air in and out.
• They must be used daily, and most are used with a spacer.