For those who experience the heaving chests and wheezing breaths
associated with asthma, inhalers have become a part of everyday life.
Once the attack sets in, two quick puffs relax the bronchial muscles
and everything is fine for a while. However, not everyone is aware of
the medication found in asthma inhalers, or even the different types
of inhalers that are available.
The most common asthma inhalers, also known as bronchodilators,
contain the drug albuterol. These types of inhalers provide two to
four hours of relief, and should be used as much as the patient needs
it.
"If a person with asthma needs it, they should use it," advises
Dr. Miles Weinberger, professor of pediatrics at the University of
Iowa College of Medicine and a staff physician at the UI Hospitals
and Clinics. "But if they're using it constantly, they may need a
better maintenance medication to be used on a scheduled basis."
The constant need to use an inhaler may be a signal of more
chronic respiratory problems, the symptoms of which may be masked by
the short-term relief of an albuterol inhaler. For those interested
in learning more about their asthma, Managing
Asthma for Patients and Families can be accessed on-line.
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