Why, to treat asthma, do some doctors give some people pills?

Question

I mean it would sound kind of pointless, don't you think? the medication would have to go to the stomach, get digested, into the blood stream and then go to the lungs, and by then you probably don't have the full dosage (I actually don't know). Where as with puffers the medication goes straight to the lungs.

Answer 1

people with asthma use inhalers as a maintenance drug atrovent is a long lasting takes 20minutes to start working people who have heart issue usually take this rather then the albuterol inhaler round the clock. albuterol ,which is the fast acting takes 2 minutes to work and is used for immediate relief of shortness of breath wheezing, (aka) asthma attack. if the albuterol isn't working and the person in an acute attack is taken to the hospital the hospital will start them on a iv or pill steroid which will reduce swelling in the throat. sometimes when someone who has had asthma for awhile with allergies mainly seasonal. goes to the doctor regularly and if they notice any signs of potential swelling they will place them on a week dosage of steroids to prevent an attack. tried to make it simple. probably made no sense though

Answer 2

The Inhalents that you use are more towards the dilation of the bloodvessels in the lungs. When one is having an attack the trachea ect gets smaller..and smaller making it hard to breathe. Pretty much the Inhalents are for The Attacks. The pills are to help prevent the attack. If one takes a pill daily. Chances are if they come into hard exercise (running aerobics), Working with Chemcials, or even working in the yard, being around pets. pretty much anything that would trigger an attack, it helps prevent it so that they wont go into an attack. and if they do. It wont be that bad.