Quick-relief inhalers to treat symptoms

Do they work?

Yes. Using a quick-relief inhaler can help relieve asthma symptoms.

Most people with asthma use this kind of inhaler only when they get symptoms (an attack). There's no advantage in taking it regularly, say every four hours, when you don't have symptoms.

What are they?

Quick-relief inhalers (also just called 'relievers') are the main treatments used to help relieve breathing problems in people with asthma. As their name suggests, they get to work quickly. They should help your symptoms within a few minutes.

If you use your reliever just before doing sport or other exercise, it can also prevent asthma symptoms that sometimes develop during exercise. That type of asthma is called exercise-induced asthma. But quick-relief inhalers don't work to prevent asthma symptoms in the long term.

The type of drugs used in quick-relief inhalers are known as short-acting beta-2 agonists.

Your doctor may refer to these drugs as bronchodilators because they dilate (open up) the bronchial tubes (airways).

Quick-relief inhalers usually contain one of these drugs:

• salbutamol (brand name Ventolin)
• terbutaline (Bricanyl).

You normally breathe in these drugs using an inhaler. The drug is stored in a small aerosol can attached to a mouthpiece. When you breathe in, some of the drug is released as a spray or a powder. Taking the drug this way means it gets straight to your lungs.

You'll probably use a metered-dose inhaler (or MDI for short). You'll press down on the aerosol can to release a dose of the drug while you breathe in.

To learn more, see How to use an inhaler.

If you find it difficult to use your inhaler, you may like to try another type of inhaler. For instance, some inhalers use a spray, others use a powder. Your doctor can explain the different kinds.

Or you may need to use special equipment to help you breathe the drugs in. To learn more, see Spacers and nebulisers.

Your doctor or nurse will probably tell you to use your inhaler when you feel you need to. So if you suddenly find it harder to breathe, or your chest feels tight, your inhaler should be the first thing you reach for. Make sure you have it with you all the time. If you find that you're using your inhaler more often than you used to, tell your doctor. You may need a different treatment.

You can also take these drugs as tablets or in syrup. But these won't work as fast as an inhaler.

How can they help?

You should feel better a few minutes after using your inhaler. Your symptoms should go away. And the drug will help your lungs work better.[3]

You can use your inhaler whenever you need it.[3]

If you need to use your quick-relief inhaler three times a week or more, you should tell your doctor. You may need another inhaler to prevent asthma symptoms.[4] To learn more, see Steroid inhalers to prevent symptoms.

Why should they work?

You get symptoms of asthma because the air passages in your lungs have become narrower. The small muscles in the walls of your air passages squeeze together and close up the passages.

Quick-relief inhalers work by loosening these muscles. So the air passages open wider, making it easier for air to get in and out of your lungs.

Breathing in the medicine through an inhaler means that the drug goes straight to your air passages and gets to work straight away.

Can they be harmful?

The most common side effect is shaking or trembling, especially in your hands.[1] It's called tremor. It's normally quite gentle and most people don't find it a problem.

It's most likely to happen when you first start using your inhaler. It usually goes away after you've used the inhaler a few times. And it's more likely to happen if you take a lot of medicine.[2] So make sure you keep to the dose that your doctor recommends.

If you use your quick-relief inhaler a lot, the muscles in your airways may not respond to it as well as they used to, and your symptoms may not go away as easily. The results of your breathing tests may get worse too.[5] If you're needing to use your quick-relief inhaler more and more, you should tell your doctor straight away. He or she can recommend treatment which will work better.

What's the evidence for quick-relief inhalers to treat symptoms?