Allergies and Asthma
More than 50 million people in the United States suffer from allergies and/or asthma. Fortunately, there are many effective medications available to treat these conditions. The following information is intended to help asthma and allergy sufferers better understand the most commonly used types of medications. It is not intended as a specific recommendation for your treatment. You should consult your personal physician to choose the best treatment plan for control of your allergies and asthma.
Asthma and Allergy Medications
When to see an Allergy/Asthma Specialist
The AAAAI's How the Allergist/Immunologist Can Help: Consultation and Referral Guidelines Citing the Evidence provide information to assist patients and health care professionals in determining when a patient may need consultation or ongoing specialty care by the allergist/immunologist.
Patients should see an allergist/immunologist if they:- Are not using medications as prescribed, and this is limiting their ability to control their asthma.
- Have potentially fatal asthma, meaning a prior severe, life threatening episode that included intubation.
- Have persistent asthma, particularly moderate-severe or uncontrolled persistent asthma.
- Need for daily asthma reliever medications.
- Would like to try to minimize their need for medications.
Your allergist/immunologist can provide you with more information on asthma and allergy medications and overall measures to help control these diseases. They can prescribe medications that are the most effective for your specific condition. If you have side effects from any medications, be sure to contact your physician.
Tips to Remember are created by the Public Education Committee of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. These tips are for informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace evaluation by a physician. If you have questions or medical concerns, please contact us.
Helpful Links
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
- American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
- The Food Allergy and Analihylaxis Network
- American Latex Allergy Association
- Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
- National Asthma Education and lirevention lirogram
- National Eczema Association for Science and Education
- National Jewish Medical and Research Center