Aerosol therapy in asthma

: Today there is a general use of aerosols in the treatment of asthma. To understand their importance it is necessary to know the make-up of an aerosol, physical and chemical factors as well as anatomical factors that influence its deposition and clearance in the tracheo-bronchial tree. In the therapy of asthma, small, easy-to-handle and reliable inhalers are prescribed. Other methods of administering these drugs by inhalation are available: these include nebulisation of the active substance in a liquid form and inhalation of the drug in a powder form. Their efficacy and the rareness of side effects (owing to the fact of minimal systemic absorption) makes them the preferred form of treatment of crises as well as for basic treatment. Nevertheless, to obtain the best therapeutic results the inhalation technique of the aerosol should be correct and some practical improvements are envisaged to alleviate any disadvantages: mixing chambers, mouth pieces, etc. Several drugs are commercially available in aerosol form (beta-agonists, atropine-like drugs, corticosteroids and chromones) which have a place both in the treatment of crises and in the basic treatment of asthma.