Asthma Medications

Inhalers, rotacaps and respules for airway conditions

Airway treatment usually pairs a fast-acting reliever with a daily preventer, and both are stocked here. The relievers are salbutamol and levosalbutamol, available as metered-dose inhalers, rotacaps and nebuliser respules, sometimes combined with ipratropium. The preventers are inhaled corticosteroids (budesonide, beclometasone, fluticasone propionate and fluticasone furoate), carried alone and in combination with the long-acting bronchodilators formoterol and salmeterol. Montelukast tablets are stocked for the tablet-based route, and the category also holds antihistamines including levocetirizine, fexofenadine, desloratadine and cetirizine.

The device matters as much as the medicine

The device matters as much as the molecule, and this is where mistakes happen. A metered-dose inhaler is pressed and breathed in slowly; a rotacap is a dry powder loaded into a rotahaler and drawn in sharply; a respule is liquid for a nebuliser and cannot be used any other way. The same medicine at the same strength behaves differently across these, and swapping device type without being shown how to use the new one is a common reason treatment appears to stop working. If you use a spacer with your inhaler, keep using one.

Reading combination strengths

Strengths are usually written per actuation or per capsule, often as a pair for combinations: budesonide with formoterol, for example, appears as 100/6, 200/6 and 400/6. Check both numbers rather than the brand.

Relievers, preventers and when to be assessed

One practical point worth stating plainly: needing your reliever more often than your treatment plan allows is a signal to be assessed, not a reason to order more of it. Preventers only work when taken every day, including on days you feel well. Speak to your doctor about your plan. All stock ships from India through licensed distributors, with the guaranteed minimum expiry shown on each listing before purchase.

Looking after inhalers, spacers and rotahalers

Inhalers and rotacaps have their own maintenance. Metered-dose inhalers need priming before first use and after a period unused, spacers are washed and left to air-dry rather than wiped, and rotahaler devices should be kept dry since the powder clumps in humidity. Dose counters, where fitted, are the only reliable guide to what is left.