How Do Controller/Preventive Medicines Work?

Different types of controller/preventive medicines

Sometimes understanding the asthma medication that your child’s doctor has prescribed can be a challenge. There are different types of controller/preventive medicines prescribed and each type works differently.

The National Institutes of Health1(NIH) has developed guidelines to help physicians manage asthma. These guidelines may be considered together with other information by your child's doctor to determine individual patient treatment needs. For patients who need a controller medication for persistent asthma, the NIH guidelines recommend inhaled corticosteroids as the preferred therapy. PULMICORT RESPULES is an example of an inhaled corticosteroid.

Use this quick reference chart to help discuss the treatment prescribed for your child with his or her physician.

How they work: Works on multiple inflammatory pathways to reduce swelling and inflammation in the lungs that is usually present in kids with asthma. Less inflammation decreases airway sensitivity to asthma triggers.

NIH classifies inhaled corticosteroids as preferred treatment for persistent asthma.*

Used to treat:

  • Mild persistent asthma
  • Moderate persistent asthma
  • Severe persistent asthma—when used with a long-acting beta2-agonist (for people aged 12 years and older)

Examples:

  • AeroBid® (flunisolide)†
  • Asmanex® (mometasone furoate inhalation powder)
  • Azmacort® (triamcinolone acetonide)†
  • Flovent® (fluticasone propionate)†
  • Pulmicort Respules® (budesonide inhalation suspension)
  • Pulmicort Turbuhaler®/Flexhaler® (budesonide inhalation powder)
  • QVAR® (beclomethasone)†

*The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has developed guidelines to help physicians manage asthma. These guidelines may be considered together with other information by your child’s doctor to determine individual patient treatment needs. For patients who need a controller medication for persistent asthma, the NIH guidelines recommend inhaled corticosteroids as the preferred therapy. PULMICORT RESPULES is an example of an inhaled corticosteroid.

How they work: Relax the muscle bands that line the airways (bronchiole tubes). Since they do not reduce inflammation they are often used in conjunction with other anti-inflammatory medicines, such as inhaled corticosteroids like PULMICORT RESPULES (for people aged 12 years and older).

Used to treat:

  • Moderate persistent asthma—when used with inhaled corticosteroid
  • Severe persistent asthma—when used with inhaled corticosteroid

Examples:

  • Foradil® (formoterol fumarate inhalation powder)†
  • Serevent® (salmeterol inhalation powder)†

How they work: Combination medicines that reduce inflammation in the lungs and relax the muscle bands that tighten around the airways (bronchiole tubes).

Used to treat:

  • Moderate persistent asthma
  • Severe persistent asthma

Examples:

  • Advair Diskus® (fluticasone propionate and salmeterol inhalation powder)†
  • Symbicort® (budesonide/formoterol fumarate dihydrate) Inhalation Aerosol

How they work: Reduce inflammation in the airways by blocking the action of leukotrienes, a type of chemical the body releases after coming into contact with an allergen or irritant.

Used to treat:

  • Mild persistent asthma—as alternative to inhaled corticosteroids
  • Moderate persistent asthma—when used in addition to inhaled corticosteroid

Examples:

  • Accolate® (zafirlukast)
  • Singulair® (montelukast sodium)†

How they work: Stabilize the mast cell from releasing chemicals which cause inflammation. Mast cell stabilizers prevent the release of these substances and therefore, reduce some forms of inflammation.

Used to treat:

  • Mild persistent asthma—as alternative to inhaled corticosteroids

Examples:

  • Intal® (cromolyn sodium)†
  • Tilade® (nedocromil sodium)†

How they work: Relax the muscle bands that surround the airways (bronchiole tubes). Since they do not reduce inflammation, they are often used in conjunction with other anti-inflammatory medicines.

Used to treat:

  • Moderate persistent asthma—when used with inhaled corticosteroid

Examples:

  • Theophylline compounds†

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†Advair, AeroBid, Asmanex, Atrovent, Azmacort, Intal, Flovent, Foradil, QVAR, Serevent, Singulair, Tilade, and Theolair are trademarks of their respective owners and are not trademarks of the AstraZeneca group of companies. The makers of these brands are not affiliated with and do not endorse AstraZeneca or its products.

Learn More

PULMICORT RESPULES is developed and approved specifically for children 12 months to 8 years of age, to help prevent asthma symptoms that could lead to an attack. PULMICORT RESPULES, an inhaled corticosteroid, is not a quick-relief medication and should NOT be used to treat an acute (sudden) asthma attack.

Important Safety Information you should know

PULMICORT RESPULES, an inhaled corticosteroid, is not a quick-relief medication and should NOT be used to treat an acute asthma attack. In studies, side effects included respiratory infection, runny nose, earache, and coughing. Inhaled corticosteroids may cause a reduction in growth rate. The long-term effect on final adult height is unknown. If switching to PULMICORT RESPULES from an oral (syrup or pill) corticosteroid, follow the doctor's instructions to help avoid health risks. Tell the doctor if your child is exposed to chicken pox or measles.

Click here for full Prescribing Information.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

References

  1. National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Clinical Practice Guidelines: Expert Panel Report 2: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma, published by the National Institutes of Health, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 1997; NIH Publication No. 97-4051