Asthma Medication: Controllers and Relievers

1. Asthma Medication: Controllers and Relievers Asthma patients use two categories of medications: controllers and relievers. Controllers are used daily to help prevent asthma attacks. Below is a list of the types of medication in both categories. After you review this list, you will take a closer look at each medication category. Click next to continue.

2. Asthma Medication: Controllers There are five types of controllers. Controllers control asthma symptoms and prevent exacerbations. They are also called “maintenance medications.” They can’t stop or treat sudden or severe flare-ups. Once you start taking controllers, they should only be stopped as direct by your physician. Inhaled Corticosteroids Leukotriene modifiers Monoclonal antiobodies against IgE Long-acting B2 agonists Methylxanthines

3. Asthma Medication: Relievers There are three types of relievers. They are also known as “quick relief medications” or rescue medication” for stopping asthma symptoms. You should use your relievers when you first notice symptoms or before exposure to a trigger, for example, before exercising. Short-acting B2 agonists Anticholinergic agents Systemic corticosteroids Systemic corticosteroids

4. What Could Go Wrong? • Paul is setting himself up for a medical emergency. First, regardless of how well life is going, you need to take your controller medication every day as prescribed by your physician. • When exposed to a trigger (In Paul’s case extra stress) it is even more important to stick with the care plan that your physician has prescribed for you. The controller protects your body. • It is likely that Paul will need his reliever medication to deal with the extra stress and not taking controller. Without his reliever medication, he may require emergency medical care to deal with an exacerbations. • Recommendations for Paul: • Take his controller as prescribed • Refill his rescue medication prescription With the extra stress, Paul hasn’t been very diligent at taking his controller medication every day and his prescription for his rescue medication needs to refilled.

5. What Would You Do? How could Shelby prevent her exacerbation while running? Run with a friend Take her rescue inhaler with her Call her parents when the attack starts Aslkdfa Correct feedback: Good job! The safest thing Shelby could do for herself is to take her rescue inhaler with her. While she could call for help, there’s no guarantee that help would arrive in time. Shelby was lucky on this day. She called her parents when the attack started. They were able to get to her in time. Incorrect feedback: Not quite. Shelby needs to take her rescue inhaler with her. While she could call for help, there’s no guarantee that help would arrive in time. Shelby was lucky on this day. She called her parents when the attack started. They were able to get to her in time. This is Shelby, age 15. Shelby was diagnosed with exercise-She has been directed by her doctor to take 2 puffs of her inhaler medication before exercise or other exerting activities. Shelby is an avid runner and has followed doctor's instructions about 2 puffs before running. However, she has not followed instructions to take her rescue medication on her runs in case of emergency. Last week Shelby ran in very cold weather at night without her rescue inhaler. She had a severe attack two miles from her home.