Sabas and work to provide relief of

(SABAs) And work to provide relief of bronchoconstriction by relaxing bronchial smooth
muscle and functionally enlarging the luminal diameter of the airways (Conner & Buck, 2013).
These work to decrease airflow obstruction so that breathing becomes less labored with relief

ASTHMA AND STEPWISE MANAGEMENT 3
from an acute bronchospasm in approximately 5–10 minutes. Common medications in this
category include
Albuterol Sulfate, Ipratropium Bromide, Levalbuterol HCl, and Tiotropium Bromide
Inhalation Powder (Conner & Buck, 2013). The use of systemic corticosteroids for quick-relief
of asthma is common. Corticosteroids decrease inflammation in the airways and are usually
taken for a short period (1-2 weeks max) (Alangari, 2014). These medications can be given either
orally or intravenously, and the most commonly used are Prednisone, Prednisolone,
Dexamethasone and Methylprednisolone (Alangari, 2014).
Arcangelo and Peterson (2013) stated that the use of inhaled steroids is the most effective
and commonly used medication for the long-term prevention of symptoms and the suppression,
Control and reversal of inflammation. There is usually a two-week period for these medications
to achieve maximum effectiveness. Inhaled corticosteroids work to distribute, Beclomethasone,
Ciclesonide, Flunisolide (Mapel & Roberts, 2014). Leukotriene modifier and methylxanthines
are also options for long-term asthma management. Stepwise Approach to Asthma Treatment
and Management down in therapeutic management may be required. The goal is to allow the
patient to have a quality of life with minimal medications to maintain and treat asthma (National
Heart Lung and Blood Institute, 2007).
How Stepwise Management Assists Health Care Providers and Patients
The goal for a patient living with asthma is to manage the disease in a way that will
allow for more quality of life for the individual. “Asthma control is defined as the degree to
which the goals of therapy are obtained as reflected in the maintenance of normal lung function
with reduced symptoms and exacerbations” (Kaufman, 2012). The stepwise program assists