Advanced Pharmacology             Short term treatment options

Advanced Pharmacology             Short term treatment options for asthma in a child  include oral corticosteroids, which are often used to gain prompt  control of poorly controlled persistent asthma, or when starting  long-term therapy.  It is used for short-term (3-10 days) “burst”, broad  anti-inflammatory effects.  Long-term control medications include  corticosteroids to block late-phase reaction to allergen, reduce airway  hyper responsiveness, and inhibit inflammatory cell migration and  activation. They are the most potent and effective anti-inflammatory  medication currently available. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) are used  in the long-term control of asthma. Short courses of oral systemic  corticosteroids are often used to gain prompt control of the disease  when initiating long-term therapy; long-term oral systemic  corticosteroid is used for severe persistent asthma.