You can often manage eos asthma with a combination of the usual asthma medications and some special drugs to reduce eosinophil levels in the airways.
Common Asthma Drugs That May Help
Common asthma medications include:
- Bronchodilators, which relax and open the airways
- Corticosteroids and other anti-inflammatory medications
- Options combining both bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory drugs
Some treatments are for long-term use, to prevent attacks. They include inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-agonists.
Others, known as rescue medications, help manage symptoms when they arise. Rescue drugs include short-acting albuterol inhalers and oral corticosteroids.
These drugs help many people with eos asthma but not everyone.
Long-Term Drugs and Biologics for Eos Asthma
If the usual asthma drugs don’t help, your doctor may suggest other long-acting options such as leukotriene modifiers or a biologic drug.
Leukotriene Modifiers
Your body releases leukotrienes as part of the immune response. They can lead to coughing, airway inflammation, and other asthma-like symptoms.
Leukotriene modifiers block the action of leukotrienes and stop these symptoms from happening. They can help with various types of asthma.
Here are some examples:
- montelukast (Singulair)
- zafirlukast (Accolate)
- zileuton (Zyflo)
Biologics
Also known as targeted therapies, biologic drugs reduce inflammation by targeting specific cells and pathways in your body. Doctors will prescribe them alongside other treatments.
Research suggests various biologics can help reduce episodes and improve lung function in people with EOS asthma.
Examples of biologics for eos asthma include:
- benralizumab (Fasenra): Delivered as an injection, you can use this drug from the age of 12 years. It reduces inflammation by lowering eosinophil levels.
- mepolizumab (Nucala): Also delivered as a shot, this is suitable for those 6 years and older. It reduces eosinophil levels, which decreases inflammation.
- reslizumab (Cinqair): This intravenous drug is suitable for people with eos asthma aged 18 or above. It lowers eosinophil levels and reduces inflammation.
- dupilumab (Dupixent): Delivered as a shot, this drug helps reduce flares in people aged 6 and over with moderate to severe eos asthma or oral corticosteroid-dependent asthma. It can also help manage severe eczema (atopic dermatitis) and chronic sinusitis with nasal polyposis.
Scientists continue to investigate new options for managing eos and other severe types of asthma.
According to Wechsler, “This treatment doesn’t necessarily eliminate attacks or exacerbations, but in some people it does, and in other people it reduces them dramatically.”
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