Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Advertisement
Journal of Pharmacy Practice
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by O'Hara, W. J.
Right arrow Articles by Weidel, R. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?

Therapy of Childhood Asthma

William J. O'Hara

Department of Pharmacy, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 11th and Chestnut Sts, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Regina M. Weidel

Department of Pharmacy, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 11th and Chestnut Sts, Philadelphia, PA 19107

The pathophysiology of asthma is briefly reviewed and the primary modalities of drug therapy are described. Symptoms of asthma are the result of bronchospasm, increased mucous secretion, and inflammation of the airways. An acute attack is a medical emergency that necessitates prompt treatment. Acute exacerbations are primarily treated with ß-2 agonists by inhalation, with the addition of methylprednisolone and aminophylline as needed. The mainstay of therapy in chronic asthma is prophylaxis with theophylline, with cromolyn sodium as an alternative in certain patients. The addition of ß-2 agonists, corticosteroids, or anticholinergics may be necessary, depending upon the severity and frequency of the attacks. The mechanisms of action of the standard therapeutic agents are reviewed, along with the dosages, side effects, and major drug interactions. Newer agents under investigation are also described, some of which represent totally new pharmacologic approaches to the therapy of asthma, such as H-1 receptor blockers, platelet activating factor (PAF) antagonists, and calcium channel blockers.

Journal of Pharmacy Practice, Vol. 2, No. 1, 45-54 (1989)
DOI: 10.1177/089719008900200107
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?




Advertisement