Medications

There are many different medicines that doctors may use to help people with asthma:

• Some are swallowed (pills or liquids)
• Some are inhaled (breathed in through your mouth or nose)
• Some are injected (given as a shot in one of your muscles or veins)

For most people, inhaled medicines are used first because they start working very fast (usually in less than five minutes!), and they don't have too many side effects. This is because inhaled medicines go right into the lungs and not into other parts of the body.

Medicines can work in different ways to help people who have asthma:

• Bronchodilators - relax the muscles around the airways
• Anti-inflammatory agents (corticosteroids or steroids) - lessen the swelling and irritation in the airways
• Medicines like cromolyn sodium - help asthma attacks from starting

How can I help someone having an asthma attack?

• Get their inhaler for them
• Go find an adult
• Call 911 if their breathing doesn't get better