Drug Combo More Effective for Asthma

Two studies commissioned by the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute have shown that an inhaled beta agonist together with an inhaled corticosteroid is the most effective treatment for asthma. The studies were published in the May 23, 2001, issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Research has established that inflammation and bronchoconstriction are the two main causes of asthma symptoms, so optimal therapy requires treatment of both conditions. One study revealed that adding an inhaled drug that helps prevent bronchoconstriction to an inhaled corticosteroid, which reduces inflammation, improved asthma control. The second study found that switching patients from the corticosteroid to the beta agonist alone, which treated only bronchoconstriction, resulted in a significant loss of asthma control. The beta agonist used in the studies was salmeterol, while the corticosteroid used was triamcinolone acetonide. Neither drug is intended for use to halt an acute asthma attack.

A new product for asthma control contains both an inhaled corticosteroid (fluticasone propionate) to reduce inflammation and an inhaled long-acting bronchodilator (salmeterol) to help prevent bronchoconstriction in one easy-to-use device. Called Advair Diskus, the device is the product of GlaxoSmithKline PLC (London, UK).

"While patients can feel the effects of bronchoconstriction, the underlying inflammation and its effects aren't always as obvious,” noted Dr. Kathy Rickard, vice president of respiratory clinical development, GlaxoSmithKline. "As a result, many patients don't always regularly take, or even stop taking, the inhaled corticosteroids needed to treat airway inflammation.”