What are the medications for asthma?

Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
Updated on December 30, 2024
00:00
00:00

Asthma, also known as bronchial asthma, is a chronic inflammatory lung disease involving various types of granulocytes. The main symptoms exhibited by patients are wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. These symptoms typically occur in the early morning or at night. Currently, the medications used to treat asthma primarily include local inhalants and oral medications. The inhalants generally consist of a combination formulation of long-acting bronchodilators and corticosteroids. Additionally, oral medications may include leukotriene receptor antagonists and histamine receptor antagonists. (The use of these medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
1min 28sec home-news-image

Asthma belongs to what department?

When we talk about asthma, we generally refer to bronchial asthma, which is a respiratory system disease. Therefore, the primary department to consult is, of course, the Department of Respiratory Medicine. If an asthma patient's condition is relatively stable, they can see a respiratory specialist through outpatient services. In hospitals without a Department of Respiratory Medicine, such as community health service centers or township health clinics, they can choose to see a general practitioner, also known as an internist. If an asthma patient suffers an acute attack of bronchial asthma and the condition is critical, they must then visit the Department of Emergency Medicine. The emergency department will decide based on the patient’s condition whether they should be kept for observation in the emergency room, be admitted to the general respiratory department, or be sent to the ICU for further emergency treatment. Additionally, there is another type of asthma known as cardiac asthma, which is a cardiovascular disease. The first choice for these patients is to see a cardiologist, although in severe cases, they should visit the Department of Emergency Medicine.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
1min 11sec home-news-image

Can asthma be cured completely?

We often refer to asthma as bronchial asthma, which, whether it is cough variant asthma, allergic asthma, or caused by other factors, has not yet a cure found to date. It is now generally believed that bronchial asthma can be controlled, which means that as long as patients with bronchial asthma receive standardized treatment in reputable hospitals, most can be controlled and will not suffer from recurrent attacks. So far, there is no cure found, and all advertisements using Traditional Chinese Medicine or ancient secret remedies or any other means claiming that asthma can be cured are false. These are not to be trusted, and many asthma patients often suffer because they take some medications containing oral corticosteroids under these false beliefs. While these might control asthma in the short term, they are detrimental to the long-term management of asthma, and prolonged use of such non-standard corticosteroid treatments can lead to many adverse reactions, such as drug-induced Cushing's syndrome and medication-induced diabetes, among others.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
1min 15sec home-news-image

How is asthma treated?

For the treatment of asthma, it is first necessary to determine the cause of the asthma. If it is due to some respiratory diseases, then in this case, it is necessary to take some anti-inflammatory and anti-infective drugs for treatment. Conditions like bronchitis, pneumonia, or lung abscess can all cause symptoms of asthma. It is recommended that everyone actively treats the symptoms; controlling the infection is key. Next is symptom management; if there is coughing or phlegm, it is necessary to take some cough suppressant and expectorant medications or combine with asthma-relieving medications to treat and alleviate symptoms. If it is caused by allergies, some anti-allergy medications should be taken, then combined with some cough and asthma-relieving medications for treatment. Drink more water to promote excretion, avoid spicy, greasy, cold, and stimulating foods, and also be sure to maintain a relaxed mood without too much stress. Follow the doctor's guidance actively, cooperate with the doctor in treatment, and refrain from smoking and drinking.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
57sec home-news-image

Can people with asthma eat watermelon?

Asthma is a very common disease in respiratory medicine and often leads to the onset of asthmatic bronchitis due to many complex factors. Therefore, whether asthma patients can eat watermelon when they have an attack depends on the season they are in. If it is in the cold winter when an asthma attack occurs, it is generally not recommended to eat watermelon. Because watermelon itself is a cold-natured fruit, and the winter season is already quite cold, it is not suitable to eat watermelon during this season. However, if the asthmatic condition occurs in the summer, when the climate is relatively hot, it is appropriate to eat some watermelon. Because watermelon can not only replenish fluids and relieve heat, but it can also supplement some nutrients needed by the body. Therefore, whether asthma patients can eat watermelon mainly depends on the season they are in.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Tao
Pulmonology
49sec home-news-image

The difference between allergic asthma and asthma

Allergic asthma and asthma both fall under the category of asthma, also known as bronchial asthma, which refers to chronic inflammation of the airways involving various cells and cellular components. This inflammation typically leads to high reactivity of the airways, causing repeated episodes of wheezing, chest tightness, coughing, and other symptoms. Among them, allergic asthma is a type of asthma. Allergic asthma is a relatively stubborn disease, often occurring in infancy and early childhood, with some patients exhibiting symptoms of allergies, or allergic rhinitis. Typically, symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, nasal itchiness, eye itchiness, and tearing may occur before an episode of allergic asthma, collectively known as allergic asthma symptoms.