Although there is no cure for asthma, medicines are the best way to control and treat it. Medicines taken the right way help keep asthma in good control with few side effects.

Types of Asthma Medicines

• Quick relief (Rescue) medicine
• Daily control medicine
• Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy (SMART)

Quick Relief (Rescue) Medicine

Quick relief medicine helps relax the muscles that are squeezing around the airways. This helps make it easier to breathe.

Important Facts About Quick Relief Medicines:

• Use this medicine right away when asthma symptoms start.
• This medicine begins to work very quickly. Asthma symptoms should be better in 5 to 10 minutes after taking this medicine.
• The medicine will work in the body for up to 4 hours.
• Quick relief medicine should only be taken for asthma symptoms or before activities. If this medicine is used too often it can be dangerous.

There Are 2 Quick Relief Medicines:

1. Albuterol
2. Levalbuterol

Special instructions:

Some people have restlessness, nervousness, shaking hands, fast or pounding heartbeat when they take quick relief medicines. Using a spacer can decrease these symptoms.

Daily Control Medicine (Controller)

Daily control medicine decreases the swelling in the airway and keeps the airway open. This makes it easier to breathe.

Important Facts About Daily Control Medicines:

• Use this medicine every day even if there are not asthma symptoms.
• When these medicines are used every day, the symptoms of asthma will decrease. The chances of having an asthma attack will also decrease.
• These medicines do not work quickly. It may take a few days to a few weeks for any effects to be noticed.

When the daily control medicine is taken every day, quick relief medicine should not be needed more than 2 times a week. There may be times when quick relief medicine may be needed more than this, such as with an illness or exercise.

There Are 4 Main Kinds of Daily Control Medicines:

1. Inhaled corticosteroids
   Common names for this medicine are fluticasone, mometasone (Asmanex), beclomethasone (QVAR) or budesonide (Pulmicort). This medicine comes as an inhaler or a liquid for a nebulizer. It decreases swelling and mucus in the airway.
   Special instructions:
   • Do not stop this medicine without talking with your Asthma team.
   • These medicines can cause irritation of the mouth and throat. Rinse mouth or brush teeth after using the medicine to prevent this.
2. Combination medicines
   Common brand names for this medicine are Advair, Dulera, Symbicort, Breyna and Breo. This medicine comes as an inhaler. It is a combination of an inhaled corticosteroid and a long-acting beta agonist.  The corticosteroid decreases and prevents swelling and mucous in the airway. The long-acting beta agonist treats asthma by relaxing the muscles around the airways.
   Special instructions:
   • Do not increase or stop this medicine without talking with your Asthma team.
   • These medicines can cause irritation of the mouth and throat. Rinse mouth or brush teeth after using the medicine to prevent this.
3. Leukotriene Modifiers
   Common names for this medicine are Montelukast or Accolate. This medicine comes as a pill that you chew or swallow. It blocks the immune system from causing airway swelling. It also helps with swelling and mucous in the nose caused by allergies.
4. Long-Acting Muscarinic Antagonists 
   These are added to relax the muscles around the airways.  A common name for this inhaler is Spiriva. This medicine should not be the only medicine for asthma. It should always be taken with another controller medicine. Trelegy and  Breztri are combination medicines that have 3 medicines including a long-acting muscarinic antagonist.

Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy (SMART)

SMART (Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy) is an asthma medicine that uses one inhaler for both daily control and quick relief. Common names for this medicine are Breyna, Dulera and Symbicort.

Important Facts About SMART Medicines:

• This combination medicine comes as an inhaler.
• The corticosteroid decreases and prevents swelling and mucus in the airway.
• The long-acting beta agonist (formoterol) works within 5 minutes to open the airways in the lungs by relaxing the muscles around the airways.
• Combination medicines that do not contain formoterol cannot be used for SMART (Advair, AirDuo, Breo & Wixela).
• Your provider will tell you how many puffs you should take. Too much of this medicine can be dangerous.

Special instructions:

• These medicines can cause irritation of the mouth and throat. Rinse mouth or brush teeth after using the medicine to prevent this.

To Learn More, Watch These Videos:

Asthma Medicines

Why Two Names

Daily Control Medicine

This education was created to help you. It does not take the place of medical care. Talk with the healthcare provider for diagnosis, treatment, and follow up.

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