Advice

Asthma

What is asthma?
Asthma is a condition that affects the airways in the lungs. The airways are small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. In people with asthma, these airways are prone to be inflamed. If an asthma trigger is present, the muscles surrounding the airways contract, so it becomes more difficult to breathe. Often, extra mucus or phlegm is produced. All these reactions cause the airways to become narrower and irritated, leading to symptoms of asthma. Not everybody will get all of these symptoms. Some people will experience them on occasions, while a few people may have symptoms all the time.
What causes asthma?
The causes of asthma are largely unknown. Asthma can start at any age however, it most commonly starts in childhood. At least one in 10 children and one in 12 adults have asthma. Asthma can run in families, although many people who develop asthma have no family history. Whilst the causes of asthma are not fully known, there are treatments available to ensure people with asthma can manage their condition effectively.
Asthma medicines
There are two main kinds of asthma medicines: relievers and preventers. Reliever Inhalers Relievers are used ‘as needed’ to give rapid relief from symptoms but do not treat the underlying inflammation. If you need to use your reliever inhaler more than three times per week, you may also need a preventer inhaler to keep your asthma under control. Preventer Inhalers Preventers help to control the swelling and inflammation in the airways and help prevent asthma attacks. However, not everyone with asthma will need a preventer. The protective effect of preventers builds up over time, so if you are prescribed one, it is important that you take it every day, even if you are feeling well.
Take control of your asthma
If you are in control of your asthma, your day to day life should be free from disruption caused by asthma symptoms. If you selected (a) in your answers to the questions at the start of this leaflet then your asthma may not be as controlled as it could be. As part of the Medicines Use Review service, your pharmacist can discuss with you some simple steps that you can take to help improve your asthma control and reduce the impact that your symptoms may be having on your everyday life. You can have a Medicines Use Review if you have been collecting your medicines from this pharmacy. This means that the pharmacist will have more information about you and your medicines so that we can achieve the best results from your Medicines Use Review.