Part IV

Controlling Asthma with Medications

In this part . . .

In this part, I get into the nitty-gritty of asthma therapy with four chapters devoted to the medications that physicians prescribe for effective short-term and long-term treatment of asthma symptoms.

In Chapter 14, I present an overview of the different categories of asthma medications, and I also offer detailed information on the proper use and maintenance of inhaled medication delivery devices, including inhalers and nebulizers. Chapter 15 provides an in-depth account of long-term asthma medications, while Chapter 16 does the same for short-term drugs. Both chapters include extensive information on when and how doctors prescribe these products, general dosage guidelines, and potential adverse side effects that may occur in some cases. I also highlight recently approved new medications that are just now hitting the market.

Chapter 17 looks to the future as I survey the most exciting and innovative advances occurring in asthma research today. Some of this research has the potential for enabling physicians to soon go beyond managing respiratory symptoms and actually treat the root cause of asthma.