Asthma treatment

Inhalers

Asthma medicines are usually breathed in, so they go straight to your lungs. There are two main jobs an inhaler does:

• preventing symptoms, by calming the swelling in your airways. This is done by a steroid (sometimes called an inhaled corticosteroid, or ICS)
• relieving symptoms quickly when they happen

The newer approach

NICE guidance from 2024 says most people should use an inhaler that contains both a steroid and a fast-acting reliever called formoterol. Depending on your asthma, you may use it:

• only when you need it (called anti-inflammatory reliever, or AIR, therapy), or
• every day, and also when you need relief (called maintenance and reliever therapy, or MART)

NICE says people with asthma should no longer rely on a blue reliever inhaler on its own, because this increases the risk of serious attacks.

If you still use a separate blue reliever and preventer, that may still be right for you. Talk to your GP or asthma nurse at your next review.

Using your inhaler well

Many people do not use their inhaler in the best way, which means less medicine reaches the lungs. Ask your nurse or pharmacist to check your technique. A spacer (a plastic tube that attaches to some inhalers) can help. Asthma and Lung UK has short videos for every type of inhaler.

Your asthma action plan

Everyone with asthma should have a written action plan. It tells you what to take each day, how to spot when asthma is getting worse, and what to do in an attack.

Reviews

You should have an asthma review at least once a year, and after any attack. Your nurse will check your symptoms, your inhaler technique and your action plan.

Severe asthma

If your asthma is still not controlled despite high-dose treatment, you may be referred to a severe asthma clinic. Treatments there can include biologic injections, which target the cause of inflammation in some types of asthma.

Vaccines

People with asthma who use a steroid inhaler can usually get a free flu vaccine every year. You may also be offered other vaccines. Ask your GP surgery or pharmacy.

Next, read about living well with asthma.