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The Need for Improved Asthma Therapy

There are nearly 15 million Americans who suffer from asthma, a number that has more than doubled in the last twenty years. This disturbing statistic highlights the need for improved therapy for this chronic lung disease which results in recurrent breathing problems. Asthma is caused by over-sensitivity of the lungs and airways to a variety of environmental stimuli such as dust, pollen, pets, and smoke. The small airways (or bronchi) through which air moves in and out of the lungs are narrowed, making it difficult to exhale. Mucus accumulation in the lungs may also occur from this narrowing. In an asthma attack, muscles spasm in the airways, prompting them to narrow and constrict. In addition, further narrowing occurs when inflammation causes the lining of the airways to swell. This constriction and inflammation of the airways are the two main components of asthma.

People with asthma often display symptoms of coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness of the chest. These are symptoms which vary greatly in frequency, pattern, and degree. If left untreated, asthma can cause long-term loss of lung function. Although there is no cure for asthma, it can be controlled with proper treatment.

In the last ten years, effective asthma medications have been developed to keep the airways open in the lungs. There are two groups of asthma medicines: bronchodilators and anti-inflammatories. Bronchodilators, which offer relief during an asthma attack, work to relax the muscles in the airways. Bronchodilators open the airways and make it easier to breathe. Anti-inflammatories, on the other hand, work to keep the airways open all the time by reducing the airways' swelling and decreasing the mucus accumulation. Bronchodilators and anti-inflammatories come in different forms, such as pills, inhalers, powders, liquids, and injections.

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