How our treatment of asthma has changed over the last half century

At the close of the 1960s asthma treatment was quite simple. For chronic maintenance treatment there were tablets containing the sympathomimetic ephedrine, the methylxanthine theophylline, a barbiturate or hydroxyzine to offset the stimulatory side effects of ephedrine and in some preparations an expectorant. Other chronic medications included the expectorants iodine and glyceryl guaiacolate administered singly, the oral corticosteroids prednisone and methyl prednisolone, and the long acting inhaled steroid dexamethasone, which was fully active systemically.
Source: Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Source Type: research