Articles
Asthma medications: Know your options
Content
Types of asthma medications
Long-term control medications
Inhaled corticosteroids
Leukotriene modifiers
Long-acting beta agonists (LABAs)
Long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs)
Combination inhalers:
Corticosteroids and long-acting beta agonists
Quick-relief medications
Ipratropium
Theophylline
Oral corticosteroids for serious asthma attacks
Medications for asthma triggered by allergies
Biologics
Biologic for allergic asthma
Biologics for eosinophilic asthma
Biologic for either eosinophilic asthma or allergic asthma
Making the most of your asthma medications
Types of asthma medications
Long-term control medications
Inhaled corticosteroids
Leukotriene modifiers
Long-acting beta agonists (LABAs)
Long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs)
Combination inhalers:
Corticosteroids and long-acting beta agonists
Quick-relief medications
Ipratropium
Theophylline
Oral corticosteroids for serious asthma attacks
Medications for asthma triggered by allergies
Biologics
Biologic for allergic asthma
Biologics for eosinophilic asthma
Biologic for either eosinophilic asthma or allergic asthma
Making the most of your asthma medications
Biologics
Your health care provider may recommend treatment with biologics if you have severe asthma with symptoms that are not easily managed by control medications. Biologics reduce inflammation by targeting immune system antibodies or specific cells. Taken together with other asthma medications, biologics help people with more-severe forms of asthma gain greater symptom control.
Your provider will typically do bloodwork to decide which biologic will work best for you. Some biologics are given as a shot (injection) and some are given by a vein (intravenously).