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Pharmacy Care provides information about self-care, that is how to treat minor medical conditions with products available at the pharmacy. Find out how your pharmacist can help you to manage minor conditions yourself.
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Asthma is a condition that affects the airways leading to your lungs. During an asthma attack your airways tighten, become inflamed and fill up with mucus. This makes breathing more difficult.
Symptoms of asthma include wheezing, being short of breath, and tightness in your chest. Another common symptom of asthma is a dry cough, especially at night. People who suffer from allergies (such as hayfever) are more than three times as likely to develop asthma as people who do not suffer from allergies.
Asthma affects more than 1 in 10 Australians. It is more common in children and although some people seem to ‘grow out of it’ they are still at risk of attacks. The cause of it is not fully understood. Unfortunately, people can still die from this condition, which is why an asthma cycle of care plan is important for every asthmatic.
Asthma triggers
Asthma triggers do not cause asthma, but may trigger an attack. People vary in their susceptibility to these triggers, and common ones include:
animal fur
cigarette smoke
cold air
colds and flu
sinus infections
heart burn
exercise
house dust mites
pollen
stress
strong perfume
some medicines
some foods
See Your Pharmacist or Medical Professional
If you are so breathless you cannot finish a sentence or find your reliever inhaler is not helping, get medical help immediately (phone 000 for an ambulance).
See your doctor if you:
are using your reliever inhaler more than three times a week
are waking at night with symptoms
find your reliever inhaler is not helping as much as it used to
do not have an asthma action plan and your asthma is getting worse
Treatment Tips
exposure to house dust mites can be minimised by regular vacuuming and wet mopping, washing bedclothes in hot water weekly, using a hypoallergenic mattress and pillow covers and removing carpets from the house if possible
pets should be kept out of bedrooms
minimise exposure to allergens such as pollen by remaining indoors and keeping windows shut at high risk times (e.g. in spring)
people who get exercise-induced asthma should warm up and use a reliever at least five minutes before exercising
people with asthma who smoke should quit smoking, and avoid breathing in second-hand smoke
aspirin and anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen (e.g. Nurofen), can make asthma worse in some people; check with your pharmacist or doctor before taking these
all people with asthma should see their doctor regularly to make sure their condition is as well controlled as possible
ask your doctor for an asthma action plan as part of the asthma cycle of care. This can help you monitor your asthma and provide written instructions on what you should do if it gets worse
check with your pharmacist or doctor that you are using the best type of inhaler for you, and you are using it correctly
inhalers and spacers need to be cleaned regularly; check product information or ask your pharmacist
Treatment Options
Types of treatment
Medications for asthma are divided into three main types: relievers, preventers and symptom controllers. Some relievers are available over the counter as Pharmacist Only medicines, and the rest are Prescription Only medicines.
Most asthma medicines are breathed into your lungs using an inhaler device. This reduces the chances of side effects developing because hardly any of the medicine reaches the rest of your body.
Many different types of inhaler devices exist, and spacers are also available for certain inhalers. Spacers are plastic chambers that fit over the end of the inhaler which help improve delivery of the medicine to the lungs. Many people find inhalers easier to use with them, and they also optimise the amount of medication reaching your lungs. Speak to your pharmacist or doctor about which inhaler device, or if a spacer would be suitable for you.
these medicines reduce inflammation in your airways and help reduce the number and severity of asthma attacks
they must be used every day, even if your asthma seems better, and they take a few days to start working properly
they should never be used to relieve breathlessness or an asthma attack in place of a reliever as they do not give immediate relief from symptoms
rinse mouth out with water following use since corticosteroids can sometimes cause oral thrush or hoarseness in your voice. Using a spacer device can also reduce your chances of getting oral thrush
oral corticosteroid tablets, such as prednisone, may need to be taken short-term by some people with severe asthma in addition to their corticosteroid inhaler. These tablets must be taken with food. Depending on how long they are needed for, the dose may need to be reduced slowly; check with your pharmacist or doctor
these types of asthma preventer are not commonly used because they are less effective than using corticosteroid inhalers
they are sometimes helpful for preventing exercise-induced asthma
they may take six weeks or more to improve symptoms
[PRESCRIPTION ONLY]
e.g. montelukast* (Singulair), zafirlukast (Accolate)
this is a tablet taken to prevent day and night symptoms of asthma
it is sometimes used for people whose asthma is not well controlled by other treatments
*montelukast is only subsidised on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for children with frequent episodic or mild persistent asthma. Otherwise, both are private prescriptions
these medicines can be added to your treatment if your symptoms are not controlled by a preventer inhaler
you must continue using a preventer inhaler as well
do not take more than the doctor has told you
these medicines should never be used to relieve breathlessness or an asthma attack in place of a reliever, as they do not give immediate relief from symptoms
[PRESCRIPTION ONLY]
e.g. theophylline (Nuelin)
these medicines are used in the maintenance treatment of severe asthma
they should be taken with food to minimise stomach upset
it is important not to crush or chew the controlled release tablets
Combination preventer inhalers
Some inhalers contain more than one type of medication. They help some people by reducing the number of inhalers needed.
these medicines combine a symptom controller and a preventer medicine
they must be used regularly to work properly
since they contain a corticosteroid, rinse mouth out with water following use to prevent oral thrush from developing
only Symbicort 400/12 and 200/6 devices can be used to treat an asthma attack if advised that you can do so by your doctor, otherwise these inhalers do not give immediate relief from symptoms, and a reliever inhaler should be used
More Information
Availability of medicines
GENERAL SALE available through pharmacies and possibly other retail outlets.
PHARMACY ONLY available for sale through pharmacies only.
PHARMACIST ONLY may only be sold by a pharmacist.
PRESCRIPTION ONLY available only with a prescription from your doctor or other health professional.
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