Around 200 to 250 million people are affected worldwide and nearly 250,000 people die per year from asthma. In Asia the rate of asthma is lower when compared to the United States. Asthma is more common in developed countries than developing countries.
Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts during childhood. Young children who often wheeze and have respiratory infections are at highest risk of developing asthma that continues beyond 6 years of age.
Asthma is treated with two types of medicines: Long-term control and quick-relief medicines.
Long-term control medicines help reduce airway inflammation and prevent asthma symptoms. These include:
- Inhaled corticosteroids: These are the most effective line of treatment for long-term relief of the inflammation and swelling that makes airways sensitive.
- Cromolyn: This medicine helps prevent airway inflammation. It is taken using a device called nebulizer. As we breathe in, the nebulizer sends a fine mist of medicine to the lungs.
- Omalizumab: This medicine prevents the body from reacting to asthma triggers, such as pollen and dust. It is given as injections, once or twice a month.
- Inhaled long-acting beta2-agonists: These medicines open the airways.
- Leukotriene modifiers: These medicines help block the reaction that increases inflammation of the airways.
- Theophylline: Theophylline helps open the airways.
Quick-relief, or "rescue" medicines relieve asthma symptoms that flare up.
- Inhaled short-acting beta2-agonists are the first choice for quick relief. These medicines act quickly to relax tight muscles around your airways when you are having a flare-up. This allows the airways to open up so air can flow through them.
Asthma treatment for special groups
Children: It is difficult to diagnose asthma in children below 5 years. Infants and young children are treated with long-term control medicines. Inhaled corticosteroids are the preferred drugs. Montelukast and Cromolyn are the other options.
Older adults: The drugs need to be adjusted for asthma treatment in older adults who take certain other medicines, such as beta blockers, aspirin and other pain relievers, and anti-inflammatory medicines as these medicines can prevent asthma medicines from working well and may worsen asthma symptoms.
Pregnant women: Special precautions and care needs to be taken. The doctor needs to control asthma to ensure a good supply of oxygen to the baby. Poor asthma control increases the risk of a premature birth, of a low birth-weight baby and can even pose a risk to the baby’s life.
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