5 Drugs Most Frequently Used to Relieve Coughs due to Asthma
Some people have a type of asthma is called cough asthma ( cough-variant asthma ). Asthma is characterized by a chronic cough that lasts more than 6 or 8 weeks. Coughing due to asthma needs to be handled properly so as not to reduce your quality of life and productivity. However, choosing an asthma cough medicine should not be haphazard. Let's find out first what are the most common asthma cough medicines in the following reviews.
Various choices of asthma cough medicines
Dry cough and phlegm that lasts for more than eight weeks can both be a sign of asthma, reported the Kidshealth page.
Chronic coughing not only impedes daily activities but also makes it difficult to sleep well because you will often wake up in the middle of the night. Therefore, appropriate treatment is needed so that the symptoms quickly subside and not weaken.
In principle, asthma cough medicine is the same as medicine used to relieve general asthma symptoms. The following is a list of medicines:
1. Corticosteroids life
Corticosteroid drugs work against inflammation in the airways and reduce swelling. This cough asthma medication should be used routinely every day to reduce the frequency of asthma recurrence and the severity of symptoms so that you can continue to breathe freely.
Medications including inhaled corticosteroids include:
- Mometasone (Asmanex Twisthaler)
- Ciclesonide (Alvesco)
- Beclomethasone (Qvar RediHaler)
- Budesonide (Pulmicort Flexhaler)
- Fluticasone (Flovent HFA)
This drug can only be inhaled through an inhaler or nebulizer. Make sure you don't borrow or lend your inhaler to others. Besides being not necessarily clean, this can also increase the risk of infection.
Inhaled corticosteroids rarely cause serious side effects. The most common side effects tend to be mild, such as mouth and throat irritation, which can be cured with simple medication.
2. Leukotriene modifiers
This medicine is usually prescribed by doctors to treat coughs due to allergic asthma. In addition, this drug can be used to prevent asthma that is triggered by exercise. This drug can help control symptoms for more than 24 hours.
Leukotriene modifiers work to inhibit the effects of leukotriene, a chemical that can trigger asthma symptoms. Some of the most common types of leukotriene modifiers include montelukast (Singulair), zafirlukast (Accolate), and zileuton (Zyflo).
3. Bronchodilator
Bronchodilators are a way of administering drugs through inhalation that aims to increase the capacity of the lungs to absorb oxygen. Chemical compounds in bronchodilators can relax the muscles around the airways to loosen them. This will allow asthma symptoms to subside quickly so that you can breathe more easily.
Bronchodilators can be used for both short and long term therapy. Asthma treatments that are included in the short-term bronchodilators are albuterol (Proair, Proventil, Ventolin), levalbuterol (Xopenex), and pirbuterol (Maxair).
Treatment effects of bronchodilators on average can last around 4-6 hours. However, short-term bronchodilators should not be used longer than they should be.
If you need treatment for a longer duration, your doctor can prescribe long-term bronchodilators such as salmeterol (Serevent) and formoterol (Foradil). This type of bronchodilator is commonly used to control chronic asthma, and its use must be combined with inhaled steroids.
4. Antihistamine drugs
Besides being effective in relieving allergic reactions such as hives, antihistamines can also help reduce asthma coughs. This drug works by blocking the effects of histamine release. Histamine is a chemical that produces an inflammatory response in the body, including in the airways.
Cetirizine, diphenhydramine, and loratadine are some of the most common antihistamine drugs. However, please note that most antihistamines have side effects that make you sleepy after you take them. Therefore, make sure you do not operate the machine or drive after taking this medicine.
To avoid the things that are not desirable, it is better to consult first to ensure the safety of this drug. Allergy medications may interact with other drugs or supplements that you are currently using.
When to see a doctor?
In certain cases, a chronic cough can heal itself without the hassle of taking medication. However, due to coughing asthma can trigger a severe asthma attack, you should immediately see a doctor if the cough you experience does not go away or even worsen.
Some of the above drugs are sold freely in pharmacies or drug stores without needing to redeem a doctor's prescription. Even so, make sure you always read the rules of use that are usually printed on the packaging label carefully before using it. Don't hesitate to ask your doctor or pharmacist directly if you don't understand how to use it.
The sooner your illness is treated, the risk of complications will also be lower. You alone know how well your body is functioning. We recommend that you don't wait for the disease to become severe first and seek treatment at a doctor.
