
Asthma is a lung condition that triggers repeated spells of breathlessness and / or panting. You may witness tightening of your chest accompanied by episodes of coughing. You can control such conditions by using needful medications. It is a long-term and a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the air pathways of your lungs. People living with asthma may experience its characteristic signs (such as wheezing) several times in a day. In some, these signs may show up multiple times each week. It is a vital thing to know of asthma medications prior to starting treatment.
When spells of asthma occur, you tend to gasp for breath. Also, you may find it hard to bring-up sputum made in lungs, through repeated coughs. A few other health conditions may show up in people living with asthma. These include sleep-based disorders like apnea (of the obstructive kind), rhino-sinusitis as well as gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) disease or acid reflux. You may also witness anxiety-linked disorders and a few mental conditions like restlessness.
Medical studies indicate asthma can occur through a combination of multiple causes namely, genetic, environmental and related risk factors. The typical age at which spells of breathlessness or wheezing may occur is about 12 – 13 years. At that age, the risk factors are environment-based.
Asthma medications
Salbutamol – This is one of the popular asthma medications. It is administered to treat episodes of wheezing and panting. This med is also used for the treatment of bronchospasm triggered by workouts and through exposure to allergens like mites, dust, mold, etc. Salbutamol is considered as a rescue med owing to its fast-acting remedial properties. It is grouped under a class of meds called short-term bronchodilators or fast-action inhalers. Your chest physician may prescribe it to bring about relief from tightening of chest or gasping due to obstructed air pathways.
Salbutamol, discovered way back in the mid-1960s, has the clearances from the food and drug administration as an asthma medication. Salbutamol is an international non-proprietary name (in short, INN). However, ventolin is one of the first generation drugs developed on its generic form. These drugs are still in use, after several decades of their discovery. This med is available under multiple names in many regions.
Albuterol is Unites States Adopted Name (i.e., USAN) for salbutamol. For all practical reasons, you can consider both these meds – salbutamol and albuterol – as one and the same. Albuterol remains as one of the widely used bronchodilators in US. Of the many asthma medications, this is administered as one of the rescue drugs. This is mainly due to its fast-action, beta-agonism.
Essential chemicals used in albuterol act on your respiratory system and can relax the muscles of this system. In this process, the drug brings about needful relief from respiratory problems like wheezing or panting for breath. In general, it is one of the reliable asthma medications to treat bronchospasms and thus avoid constricted pathways of your lungs.
Asthma medications are chosen based on your age, how acute is the breathing problem and also the reactions to the first few dosages. For mild episodes of asthma, doses of albuterol are prescribed. On the other hand, if you are down with an acute spell of asthma, use of medications like salbutamol is recommended by chest physicians. Also, albuterol is known to be tolerated quite well by younger adults as well as by children. This is because it is not as potent as salbutamol. However, salbutamol works well for adults, thanks to its strength.
In order to have a better knowledge about asthma medications like albuterol, salbutamol, etc., it is a good practice to consult with your physician or pharmacist. Moreover, it is considered safe to have more details about the risk factors as well as limitations of asthma medications before commencing your medication plans.
Disclaimer
Information provided here are only of supplementary nature. Information shared here does not substitute a qualified doctor’s advice. This website is not suggesting intake of this drug as safe or appropriate. Hence it is advised to talk to your doctor before consuming this med or any other drug.
Education: Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from New York University. Experience: 5 years of experience writing for physiotherapy and sports medicine blogs, providing expert insights on injury prevention and rehabilitation.