Proper medication use is the best way to control your asthma. Each case of asthma is different, so you and your doctor need to create an asthma treatment plan that is right for you. Most asthma medicines are taken by breathing them in using an inhaler or nebulizer, but some asthma medicines are in pill form. An inhaler or nebulizer allows the medicine to go directly to your lungs. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) lists two types of medicine for asthma: long-term control and quick-relief medicines.

Long-Term Control Medicines:

Most people who have asthma need to take long-term control medicine daily to help prevent symptoms. The most effective long-term medicines reduce airway inflammation, which helps prevent symptoms from starting. They don't give you quick relief from symptoms. Some of these long-term conrol medicines include inhaled corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory medicine, immunomodulators, inhaled long-acting beta2-agonist, leukotriene modifiers, and theophylline.  

Quick-Relief Medicines:

All people who have asthma need quick-relief medicines to help relieve asthma symptoms that could flare up. Inhaled short-acting beta2-agonists are the first choice for quick relief. These medicines act quickly to relax tight muscles around your airways when you’re having a flare-up. You should take your quick-relief medicine when you first notice asthma symptoms. If you use this medicine more than two days a week, talk with your doctor about your asthma control. You may need to make changes to your asthma action plan.

Carry your quick-relief inhaler with you at all times in case you need it. If your child has asthma, make sure that anyone caring for him or her has the child’s quick-relief inhaler. They should understand when and how to use these medicines and when to seek medical care for your child.

Do not use quick-relief medicines in place of prescribed long-term control medicines. Quick-relief medicines do not reduce inflammation. Whatever medications your doctor has prescribed (oral, inhaled or both), it is important to follow directions for routine use, including directions for timing. For example, if a medication is prescribed to take twice a day, it should be taken every 12 hours. If a medication is prescribed for once a day, then take it once every 24 hours.

There are a variety of inhalers available. The two most common types are:

•   A metered-dose inhaler (MDI), which is a small, hand-held device filled with medicine. It uses an aerosol canister inserted into a plastic mouthpiece to deliver a certain amount of medicine in short bursts through your mouth and into your lungs. It is recommended to use a holding chamber (spacer) with your inhaler for best delivery of medication to the lungs.

•   A dry powder inhaler (DPI), which delivers the medicine as a dry powder using a special inhaler.

Proper Inhaler Use

Metered Dose Inhaler (MDI) Technique:

Get ready

1.  Take off the cap and shake the inhaler.

2.  Breathe out all the way.

3.  Hold your inhaler upright or the way your doctor recommended.

Breathe in slowly

4.  As you start breathing in slowly through your mouth, press down on the inhaler one time. (If you use a spacer, first press down on the inhaler. Within 5 seconds, begin to breathe in slowly.)

5.  Keep breathing in slowly, and as deeply as you can.

6.  Hold breath for a count of 10 if possible.

7.  For inhaled quick-relief medicine (short-acting beta2-agonists), wait about 15–30 seconds between puffs.

Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI) Technique:

Get ready

1.   Check the dose counter to see the number of doses remaining.

2.   Open device and/or puncture medication blister if necessary.

3.   Keep discus horizontal (Advair and Asmanex are common DPIs).

4.   Exhale away from device. Do not exhale into the device.

5.   Form lip seal around mouthpiece.

Breathe in rapidly

6.   Inhale rapidly for one to two seconds with deep inhalation and hold for a count of 10 if possible. You can inhale a second time if needed by exhaling away from device and inhaling again quickly.

7.   Close the device.

8.   If medicaion is a steroid, rinse and spit immediately afterwards.

Actions:

1.   Visit How to Use Inhalers at www.use-inhalers.com to get additional training with short videos on how to properly use your prescribed inhaler.

2.   Visit Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America for additional information about asthma treatment and medications.

3.   Visit TRICARE’s Covered Services to determine your medication coverage. Review TRICARE’s Home Pharmacy Delivery Program for additional prescription benefits.