Asthma treatments

Here you can read about the latest clinical research about asthma treatments.

Alternative treatments

• Asthma and coffee
  Asthma patients may feel better if they drink coffee.
• Heartburn treatment and asthma symptoms
  Although people with asthma often suffer from heartburn, there is insufficient evidence to conclude that heartburn is an asthma trigger. Also there is insufficient evidence that treating heartburn improves asthma symptoms.
• Breathing exercises for asthma
  Although there is some indication that breathing exercises might help people with asthma feel better, more studies are needed to prove this is true.
• Acupuncture treatment for asthma
  There is no proof that acupuncture can reduce asthma symptoms.
• Asthma and fish oil
  Fish oil does not seem to make asthma better or worse.
• Asthma and herbal medicines
  Herbal medicines are often used by asthmatics to treat their asthma symptoms. One review concludes it is unclear whether they help control asthma.

Emergencies

• Risk factors associated with near-fatal asthma
  Risk factors for near-fatal asthma or serious asthma attacks include frequent hospital admission, need mechanical respiration, worsening asthma in January and February, and home air-conditioning.
• Treating acute asthma in the emergency room
  Patients with acute asthma who receive steroids within one hour of arriving at the emergency room are less likely to be admitted to hospital.
• Heliox treatment for asthma
  There is no proof that helium and oxygen mixtures (heliox) will give added benefits to standard treatment of acute asthma in emergency situations.
• Asthma and steroids in the accident and emergency department
  People with asthma attacks who receive emergency treatment do better afterwards if they are given steroid therapy orally or by injection.
• Delivery methods of asthma medicine in asthma attacks
  Asthmatics are often treated with short acting beta2-agonists when they have an asthma attack. A study shows that inhalers with spacers and nebulisers are equally good in delivering this medication.
• Magnesium sulphate for asthma emergencies
  Using magnesium sulphate along with standard treatment in accident and emergency may help patients with severe asthma feel better.
• Inhaled steroids in the accident and emergency department
   Patients with asthma attacks who receive inhaled steroids in the accident and emergency department are admitted to hospital less often.
• Using aminophylline to treat asthma emergencies
  Standard methods of care work well enough on their own when treating asthma emergencies. It is not necessary to add aminophylline to the treatment.

Immunotherapy

• Specific immunotherapy may help reduce hay fever symptoms even after the treatment has stopped
  One way of treating people with seasonal allergy symptoms (hay fever) is to expose them to small amounts of the pollen they are allergic to over a long period of time.
• Specific immunotherapy stops hay fever developing into asthma
  There is an established link between pollen-induced hay fever symptoms (‘runny nose and itchy eyes’) in childhood and the development of asthma.
• Immunotherapy and allergic rhinitis
  Immunotherapy keeps allergic rhinitis symptoms under control even after the therapy is stopped.
• Immunotherapy for Asthma
  Substances in the air called allergens sometimes cause asthma. Surprisingly, the allergens that cause the symptoms may also be used to help you get rid of the symptoms. This allergen treatment is called allergen immunotherapy.

Treating mild asthma

• Patients with stable, mild to moderate asthma can benefit from once a day treatment with low dose inhaled steroids particularly budesonide
  One low dose of inhaled steroid a day works to keep mild to moderate asthma under control.
• Inhaled steroids can produce relief of asthma symptoms in less than a day
  Asthma symptoms can be controlled by treatment with inhaled steroids. Relief can be felt one day after starting steroids and the best effects in 3 weeks or less in most cases.
• Inhaled steroids and asthma
  Some asthma medications such as inhaled steroids could make the lungs of people with asthma less sensitive to irritants that can cause an asthma attack.
• Asthma and antihistamines
  Antihistamines are not beneficial in the treatment of asthma.
• Recent medicine to treat asthma
  Anti-leukotrienes, are now available to treat asthma but may not be better than inhaled corticosteriods.
• Asthma and when to take short-acting beta2-agonists
  Asthmatics usually take short acting beta2-agonists to treat their asthma symptoms. Many studies show that taking these medicines when needed works as well as taking it on a regular basis.
• Best possible treatment can reduce asthma deaths
  Asthma management based on a pre-determined action plan chosen by the physician and the patient, and best possible use of medication can help reduce deaths caused by asthma.

Treating moderate asthma

• Anti-inflammatory medication in asthma – montelukast vs fluticasone
  Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways, with acute periods of more severe symptoms.
• Can montelukast help protect against asthma attacks when fluticasone alone is not enough?
  Asthma management using preventers in the form of inhaled corticosteroids (such as fluticasone) is considered a first line treatment.
• Patients with stable, mild to moderate asthma can benefit from once a day treatment with low dose inhaled steroids particularly budesonide
  One low dose of inhaled steroid a day works to keep mild to moderate asthma under control.
• Inhaled steroids can produce relief of asthma symptoms in less than a day
  Asthma symptoms can be controlled by treatment with inhaled steroids. Relief can be felt one day after starting steroids and the best effects in 3 weeks or less in most cases.
• Inhaled steroids and asthma
  Some asthma medications such as inhaled steroids could make the lungs of people with asthma less sensitive to irritants that can cause an asthma attack.
• Asthma and antihistamines
  Antihistamines are not beneficial in the treatment of asthma.
• Chiropractic treatment for children with asthma
  Chiropractic treatment does not reduce symptoms or improve the quality of life in children with mild or moderate asthma.
• Recent medicine to treat asthma
  Anti-leukotrienes, are now available to treat asthma but may not be better than inhaled corticosteriods.
• Asthma and when to take short-acting beta2-agonists
  Asthmatics usually take short acting beta2-agonists to treat their asthma symptoms. Many studies show that taking these medicines when needed works as well as taking it on a regular basis.
• Best possible treatment can reduce asthma deaths
  Asthma management based on a pre-determined action plan chosen by the physician and the patient, and best possible use of medication can help reduce deaths caused by asthma.

Treating severe asthma

• Steroids and prevention of death from asthma
  Most deaths from asthma can be prevented. Recently, a study found that the use of low-dose inhaled steroids helped lower the risk of death due to asthma.
• Inhaled steroids can produce relief of asthma symptoms in less than a day
   Asthma symptoms can be controlled by treatment with inhaled steroids. Relief can be felt one day after starting steroids and the best effects in 3 weeks or less in most cases.
• Inhaled steroids and asthma
  Some asthma medications such as inhaled steroids could make the lungs of people with asthma less sensitive to irritants that can cause an asthma attack.
• Asthma and antihistamines
  Antihistamines are not beneficial in the treatment of asthma.
• Treating asthma with methotrexate
  There is little benefit in using a drug called methotrexate in patients who take oral steroids for severe asthma.
• Asthma and when to take short-acting beta2-agonists
  Asthmatics usually take short acting beta2-agonists to treat their asthma symptoms. Many studies show that taking these medicines when needed works as well as taking it on a regular basis.
• Best possible treatment can reduce asthma deaths
  Asthma management based on a pre-determined action plan chosen by the physician and the patient, and best possible use of medication can help reduce deaths caused by asthma.

Treatment goals

• Asthma and organised asthma clinics
  Special asthma clinics seem to be helpful in educating patients about their asthma and ways to control it.
• Asthma and antihistamines
  Antihistamines are not beneficial in the treatment of asthma.
• Asthma and self-management
  People with asthma do better if they are involved in their own care.
• Educating adult patients about asthma
  Simply reading and listening to information about asthma does not improve the health of adults with asthma.
• Best possible treatment can reduce asthma deaths
  Asthma management based on a pre-determined action plan chosen by the physician and the patient, and best possible use of medication can help reduce deaths caused by asthma.

Vaccination

• Flu jabs and asthma
  There is insufficient evidence to determine whether 'flu jabs' are either harmful or beneficial in patients with asthma.