Don't worry! Many people are confused when first using an asthma inhaler. Yet asthma inhalers are the most effective way of delivering lifesaving medications to those with asthma and other lung diseases. Whether you have asthma or care for someone who does, it is important to know more about asthma inhalers, including how to use one correctly.

What Is an Asthma Inhaler?

An asthma inhaler is a handheld device that delivers asthma medication straight into the airways. While asthma medications can be taken orally and intravenously, with an asthma inhaler the medication goes directly into the lungs to help relieve asthma symptoms faster and with fewer side effects.

How Are Drugs Delivered in an Asthma Inhaler?

Asthma inhalers can deliver drugs in a variety of ways, including the following:

Metered dose inhalers (MDIs): A metered dose inhaler (MDI) delivers asthma medication through a small, handheld aerosol canister. The metered dose inhaler gently puffs the medicine into your mouth when you press down on the inhaler, and you breathe the medicine in.

Dry powder inhalers (DPIs): Dry powder asthma inhalers require you to breathe in deeply as the drug enters your lungs. These asthma inhalers may be difficult to use, especially during an asthma attack when you cannot fully catch a deep breath. Read the instructions carefully for each dry powder inhaler because they vary considerably. The technique you learned for one type of inhaler often does not apply to others.

What Types of Drugs Are Used in Asthma Inhalers?

Drugs used in asthma inhalers are anti-inflammatory (steroids such as prednisone), bronchodilators (beta-2 agonist medications), or both (a combination inhaler).

Anti-inflammatory asthma inhalers. Anti-inflammatory drugs used in asthma inhalers help prevent asthma attacks and reduce swelling and mucus production in the airways. These anti-inflammatory medications help people get better asthma control. Anti-inflammatory drugs used in asthma inhalers include:

Corticosteroids including Advair, Aerobid, Asmanex, Azmacort, Flovent, Pulmicort, Symbicort, Qvar
Mast cell stabilizers, which may prevent allergic reaction, including Intal and Tilade

For in depth information, see WebMD's article on Asthma, Steroids, and Other Anti-Inflammatory Drugs.

Bronchodilator asthma inhalers. Bronchodilator asthma inhalers are either short-acting or long-acting. They are used to ease asthma symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing. Inhaled bronchodilators dilate or widen the airways, which helps relieve asthma symptoms much faster than oral drugs. Bronchodilator drugs used in asthma inhalers include:

Short-acting beta-agonists including albuterol (Proventil HFA, Ventolin HFA, AccuNeb), Alupent, Maxair, Xopenex
Long-acting beta-agonists, including Serevent (salmeterol) and Foradil (formoterol). The combination inhalers currently available in the United States are Advair and Symbicort.
Combivent and DuoNeb inhalers contain both albuterol and ipratropium (an anticholinergic bronchodilator). This combination of albuterol and ipratropium may also be given using a nebulizer.