Understanding Asthma Medications (cont.)
IN THIS ARTICLE
- What Is Asthma?
- What Causes Asthma?
- What Are the Risks of Asthma?
- Medical Treatment
- Corticosteroid Inhalers
- Oral and Intravenous Corticosteroids
- Leukotriene Inhibitors
- Beta-Agonists
- Anticholinergic Inhalers
- Methylxanthines
- Mast Cell Inhibitors
- Monoclonal Antibodies
- For More Information
- Web Links
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
What Causes Asthma?
Individuals with asthma are highly sensitive to various "triggers." When the inflammation is triggered by one or more of these external or internal factors, the air passages swell and fill with mucus. The muscles within the breathing passages contract and narrow (bronchospasm). The narrow airways make it hard to exhale (breath out from the lungs).
Next: What Are the Risks of Asthma? »
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