Asthma Inhalers

There is quite a range of asthma inhalers (puffers) for the treatment of asthma, so it is important to select the right one for each individual. The pressurised aerosol inhaler is the most commonly used, but its disadvantage is that a lot of people find the technique difficult to master. Indeed, a number of surveys carried out highlighted that many people use asthma inhalers incorrectly. The chief problem being poor co-ordination breathing in the drug from the inhaler itself, but careful practice should overcome this. The medicine inside asthma inhalers goes straight into the airways. Therefore, you need a much smaller dose than if you took the medicine as a tablet or liquid by mouth. The airways are treated, but little of the medicine gets into the rest of the body. Therefore, side-effects are unlikely to occur, or are minor. In the treatment of asthma, the medicines inside asthma inhalers can be grouped into asthma relievers, asthma preventers and 'long acting bronchodilators'.

Reliever inhalers: These type of asthma inhalers can be taken 'as required' to ease symptoms when you are breathless or wheezy. The medicine inside a reliever inhaler relaxes the muscle in the airways and are the most common of asthma inhalers. This makes the airways open wider, and asthma symptoms usually quickly ease. These medicines are also called 'bronchodilators' as they dilate (widen) the bronchi (airways). As asthma inhalers there are several different reliever medicines for a reliever inhaler. For example, salbutamol and terbutaline. These come in various brands made by different companies. There are different reliever inhaler devices that deliver the same reliever medicine. However, reliever (bronchodilator) medicines tend to be put in blue or grey inhaler devices. If you only have asthma symptoms every 'now and then', then the occasional use of a reliever inhaler may be all that you need. However, if you need a reliever inhaler three times a week or more to ease symptoms, another type of asthma inhaler, i.e. a preventer inhaler is usually advised.

Preventer inhalers: These type of asthma inhalers are taken every day to prevent symptoms from developing. The medicine commonly used in preventer inhalers is a steroid. There are various brands of these asthma inhalers. Steroids work by reducing the inflammation in the airways. When the inflammation has gone, the airways are much less likely to become narrow and cause symptoms. (asthma Inhalers which contain cromoglycate or nedocromil medicines are sometimes used as a preventer inhaler. However, they are not as effective as steroids.). It takes 7-14 days for the steroid in a preventer inhaler to build up to its full effect. Therefore, as an asthma inhaler it will not give any immediate relief of symptoms. However, after a week or so of treatment, the asthma symptoms have often gone, or are much reduced. It can take up to six weeks for maximum benefit. You may then not need to use a preventer inhaler very often, (if at all). Again, there are often different asthma inhalers, whicht deliver the same medicine. However, preventer medicines tend to come in brown, orange, or red inhaler devices.

Long acting bronchodilator inhalers: The medicines in these asthma inhalers work in a similar way to reliever inhalers, but work for up to 12 hours after taking each dose for your asthma. They include salmeterol and formoterol. You may be advised to take in addition to a steroid inhaler if asthma symptoms are not fully controlled by the steroid inhaler alone. Some brands of inhaler contain a steroid plus a long acting bronchodilator for people who need both asthma inhalers to control their asthma symptoms.