Medications

There are many medications and types of medications used to treat asthma. Click on one of the sections below to find out more about them.  For a simple pdf, printer-friendly page about asthma medications and how they are used to treat asthma, click here. For an in-depth look at asthma medications (geared to health professionals) click here. You may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files.

Inhalers:  Inhaled asthma medications work well and have fewer side effects than medications taken in tablet form. Click here to find out more about inhalers, including dry powder inhalers (like the Diskus).

 Long-term controllers: This type of medication is used daily to keep asthma under control even when there are no symptoms. Click here to learn more about this group of medications (like Flovent and Singulair).

Quick-relief: This type of medication is used when there are asthma symptoms. Needing to use this type of medication too often can mean that your asthma is not under control. Click here to learn more. 

 Medication by name: Click here to find a list of medications, and read detailed information about the ones you are interested in. Click here to browse our database of medications.

 Spacers and valved-holding chambers: How to use asthma medicines the right way is almost as important as using them at all. Learn all about the importance of spacers and valved-holding chambers, and the best ways to use them, by clicking here. 

 Nebulizers: Some people with asthma use a nebulizer, a machine that makes a mist of the medicine to treat their asthma. Read all about nebulizers by clicking here.

Alternative medications: Have you heard about an alternative medication to treat your asthma, but wonder if it’s too good to be true or if it really works? Read our information on alternative treatments and talk to your doctor before you try it!

Antibiotics: Sometimes asthma symptoms are triggered by respiratory illnesses. When this is the case, antibiotics may be prescribed to clear the bacterial infection. This will bring down the amount of swelling and mucus that block the airways. Antibiotics will not help treat asthma unless it is the type that is triggered by a bacterial respiratory infection.