Rescue Treatments versus Controller Treatments
There are two primary types of asthma treatments—asthma rescue medicines and asthma controller medicines.
Asthma Rescue Treatments versus Asthma Controller Treatments
| Types of Treatment |
What They Do |
What They Don't Do |
|
Rescue
(quick relief)
Example: Albuterol
|
Treat airway constriction, providing immediate relief of sudden symptoms |
Provide long-term asthma control |
|
Controller medicines
(preventative or maintenance)
Example: SYMBICORT
|
Prevent asthma symptoms by controlling airway inflammation and/or constriction |
Treat sudden asthma attacks |
- Asthma rescue medicines are used for sudden asthma symptoms and are not meant to be used daily
- Asthma controller medicines are for long-term asthma control and are meant to be used every day
When used as prescribed, asthma controller medicines help prevent asthma symptoms on an ongoing basis. Some medicines, such as SYMBICORT, work by helping to prevent the underlying inflammation and constriction which cause asthma symptoms to worsen. When used as directed, SYMBICORT opens your airways within 15 minutes. And it keeps working all day and night to help you breathe more freely.
It's important to remember that asthma controller medicines should not be used to treat sudden asthma symptoms. An asthma rescue inhaler should be used as directed to treat sudden symptoms.
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