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Help me please thank you

Hi there,

I was just wondering, why are drugs used to treat asthma attacks are not in tablet form but inhaled?

I'd appreciate if you'd reply, thank you. :smile:

Reply 1

Simes

From NHS - treating asthma:

"Asthma medicines are usually given by inhalers – devices that deliver medication directly into the lungs as you breathe in. This is an effective way of taking an asthma medicine as most goes straight to the lungs, with very little ending up elsewhere in the body."

Reply 2

Delciate

Well if they were given in tablet form, you'd have to wait for the drug to be broken down and then absorbed by the body. That would take a while longer than you have whilst gasping for air, don't you think?

Some treatments do come in tablet form but these are usually given alongside short-acting medications such as salbutamol (inhalers). They include the brochodilator 'theophylline' and the leukotriene receptor antagonist 'montelukast'. They aren't as quick as inhalers, and when you need air, you need it quickly! :smile:

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 3

GaelicBolshevik

Original post by User23

Hi there,

I was just wondering, why are drugs used to treat asthma attacks are not in tablet form but inhaled?

I'd appreciate if you'd reply, thank you. :smile:

With inhaled medications, the medicine is delivered directly to your bronchial tubes, helping to open your airways faster than other drugs. These medicines also have fewer side effects compared to others that are taken by mouth or by injection.