Asthma Treatment

Since asthma is a chronic disease, treatment goes on for a very long time. Some people have to stay on treatment for the rest of their lives. The best way to improve your condition and live your life on your terms is to learn all you can about your asthma and what you can do to make it better.

• Become a partner with your health care provider and his or her support staff. Use the resources they can offer -- information, education, and expertise -- to help yourself.
• Become aware of your asthma triggers and do what you can to avoid them.
• Follow the treatment recommendations of your health care provider. Understand your treatment. Know what each drug does and how it is used.
• See your health care provider as scheduled.
• Report any changes or worsening of your symptoms promptly.
• Report any side effects you are having with your medications.

These are the goals of treatment:

• Prevent ongoing and bothersome symptoms
• Prevent asthma attacks
• Prevent attacks severe enough to require a visit to your provider or an emergency department or hospitalization
• Carry on with normal activities
• Maintain normal or near-normal lung function
• Have as few side effects of medication as possible

Self-Care at Home

Current treatment regimens are designed to minimize discomfort, inconvenience, and the extent to which you have to limit your activities. If you follow your treatment plan closely, you should be able to avoid or reduce your visits to your health care provider or the emergency department.

• Know your triggers and do what you can to avoid them.
• If you smoke, quit.
• Do not take cough medicine. These medicines do not help asthma and may cause unwanted side effects.
• Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, can cause asthma to worsen in certain individuals. These medications should not be taken without the advice of your health care provider.
• Do not use nonprescription inhalers. These contain very short-acting drugs that may not last long enough to relieve an asthma attack and may cause unwanted side effects.
• Take only the medications your health care provider has prescribed for your asthma. Take them as directed.
• Do not take any nonprescription preparations, herbs, or dietary supplements, even if they are completely "natural," without talking to your health care provider first. Some of these may have unwanted side effects or interfere with your medications.
• If the medication is not working, do not take more than you have been directed to take. Overusing asthma medications can be dangerous.
• Be prepared to go on to the next step of your action plan if necessary.

If you think your medication is not working, let your health care provider know right away.

Medical Treatment

If you are in the emergency room, treatment will be started while the evaluation is still going on.

• You may be given oxygen through a face mask or a tube that goes in your nose.
• You may be given aerosolized beta-agonist medications through a face mask or a nebulizer, with or without an anticholinergic agent.
• Another method of providing inhaled beta-agonists is by using a metered dose inhaler or MDI. An MDI delivers a standard dose of medication per puff. MDIs are often used along with a "spacer" or holding chamber. A dose of 6-8 puffs is sprayed into the spacer, which is then inhaled. The advantage of an MDI with a spacer is that it requires little or no assistance from the respiratory therapist.
• If you are already on steroid medications, or have recently stopped taking steroid medications, or if this appears to be a very severe attack, you may be given a dose of intavenous steroids.
• If you are taking a methylxanthine, such as theophylline or aminophylline, the blood level of this drug will be checked, and you may be given this medication through an intravenous line.
• People who respond poorly to inhaled beta-agonists may be given an injection or intravenous dose of a beta-agonist such as terbutaline or epinephrine.
• You will be observed for at least several hours while your test results are obtained and evaluated. You will be monitored for signs of improvement or worsening.
• If you respond well to treatment, you will probably be released from the hospital. Be on the lookout over the next several hours for a return of symptoms. If symptoms should return or worsen, return to the emergency department right away.
• Your response will likely be monitored by a peak flow meter.