Treatment of Asthma and COPD

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs prevalent in around 3% of the population, characterized by episodic wheezing, breathlessness and mucus production. On the other hand, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a non-reversible condition seen mostly in smokers. Therapy is decided according to the severity of asthma, predominantly using topical administration rather than systemic. A variety of devices are used for this, including metered dose inhalers, spacers/chambers, dry powder inhalers and nebulizers in the emergency setting. The treatment consists of bronchodilators such as beta-2 agonists, muscarinic antagonists and phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Inflammation plays a major role and is treated with the help of corticosteroids, leukotriene antagonists, mast cell inhibitors, and anti IgE monoclonal antibodies.