Triple therapy helps control severe asthma

Asthma affects approximately 20 million adults in the US. It is a common cause of workplace and school absenteeism, and is one of the leading causes of hospitalizations in the US. Between 5% and 10% of asthmatics have frequent, persistent symptoms despite treatment with multiple medications, and are categorized as “difficult to treat” and “severe” asthmatics. In these patients, asthma can be life-threatening. Identifying ways to control symptoms and asthma exacerbations in these patients is an important goal of asthma researchers. Proper technique and particle size impact effectiveness of inhalers Asthma symptoms result from a combination of airway inflammation and constriction, so asthma therapies are focused on relieving both processes. Asthma medications are frequently delivered via the airways using inhalers. This mode of delivery allows high doses to reach the airway surfaces without significant absorption of medication into the bloodstream. But inhalers have some important drawbacks. First, patients must have meticulous technique in using their inhalers, to ensure adequate medicine is delivered to the airways. Indeed, patients who are thought to have uncontrolled asthma commonly have significant improvements in symptom control when they are taught how to properly use an inhaler. Second, the particle size delivered by an inhaler is an important determinant of what airways receive the medication. Larger particles are more likely to be deposited in the mouth and la...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Asthma Drugs and Supplements Source Type: blogs