1 Foundations of Respiratory Pharmacology
Learn how common respiratory medicines affect airways, how inhalers and nebulizers deliver them, and what treatment goals and safety precautions guide their use.
How respiratory medicines work
Respiratory medicines have different goals: some relax airway muscles, some reduce inflammation, some help prevent or control symptoms, and others loosen thick secretions. The medicine's intended goal and its delivery method determine how it should be used.
Bronchodilators relax airway muscles. is a short-acting bronchodilator that can relieve acute airway narrowing and is used for sudden wheezing. Possible effects include tremor and a fast or irregular heartbeat.
are used to control airway inflammation. They are generally not a stand-alone immediate rescue medicine. Rinsing the mouth with water and spitting it out after use helps reduce medicine remaining in the mouth and the risk of oral thrush.
Leukotriene modifiers can help prevent or control symptoms. is an oral medicine for ongoing control, not sudden symptom relief, and it does not replace a prescribed rescue inhaler.
Mucolytics thin thick respiratory secretions so they are easier to clear. Inhaled is a mucolytic, not a bronchodilator or an antibiotic.
Routes and device technique
Inhalers and nebulizers deliver medicines to the airways, but each device has its own technique. Follow the instructions for the specific device.
A relies on the user's inhalation to draw powdered medicine into the lungs. The usual technique is to breathe in quickly and deeply through the device.
A generally requires a slow inhalation coordinated with pressing the canister. A spacer or holding chamber can assist with pMDI use.
Inhaled is administered using a nebulizer as directed.
Treatment goals and changing symptoms
aims to reduce ongoing symptoms and the risk of flare-ups. A possible sign that a long-term controller plan is helping is that symptoms and flare-ups become less frequent. Treatment response is assessed over time, and patients should follow their treatment plan rather than stop medicines on their own when breathing improves.
Needing more often than usual can signal that control may be inadequate. Contact a healthcare professional for guidance instead of independently taking more puffs than prescribed, stopping controller medicines, or replacing prescribed treatment.
Medication safety
Use medicines as prescribed, learn the correct technique for each device, and seek advice about concerning effects.
Tremor and a fast or irregular heartbeat can occur with short-acting beta-agonists. Severe, persistent, or concerning symptoms warrant prompt medical advice.
has a warning about potentially serious neuropsychiatric effects, including suicidal thoughts or actions. Take new troubling changes in mood or behavior seriously and contact a healthcare professional promptly for guidance. does not provide immediate relief from an acute asthma attack.