A bronchodilator or broncholytic (although the latter occasionally includes secretory inhibition as well) is a substance that dilates the bronchi and bronchioles, decreasing resistance in the respiratory airway and increasing airflow to the lungs. Bronchodilators may be originating naturally within the body, or they may be medications administered for the treatment of breathing difficulties, usually in the form of inhalers. They are most useful in obstructive lung diseases, of which asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are the most common conditions. Although this remains somewhat controversial, they might be useful in bronchiolitis and bronchiectasis. They are often prescribed but of unproven significance in restrictive lung diseases.
Bronchodilators are either short-acting or long-acting. Short-acting medications provide quick or "rescue" relief from acute bronchoconstriction. Long-acting bronchodilators help to control and prevent symptoms. The three types of prescription bronchodilating drugs are beta2-adrenergic agonists (short- and long-acting), anticholinergics (short- and long-acting), and theophylline (long-acting).
These are quick-relief or "rescue" medications that provide quick, temporary relief from asthma symptoms or flare-ups. These medications usually take effect within 20 minutes or less, and can last from four to six hours. These inhaled medications are best for treating sudden and severe or new asthma symptoms. Taken 15 to 20 minutes ahead of time, these medications can also prevent asthma symptoms triggered by exercise or exposure to cold air. Some short-acting β-agonists, such as salbutamol, are specific to the lungs; they are called β2-adrenergic agonists and can relieve bronchospasms without unwanted cardiac side effects of nonspecific β-agonists (for example, ephedrine or epinephrine). Patients who regularly or frequently need to take a short-acting β2-adrenergic agonist should consult their doctor, as such usage indicates uncontrolled asthma, and their routine medications may need adjustment.
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Ce cours permet aux étudiants ayant suivi Morphologie I de réviser et d'approfondir leurs connaissances par l'étude de l'anatomie radiologique et du développement. L'origine de malformations fréquente
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of progressive lung disease characterized by long-term respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. The main symptoms of COPD include shortness of breath and a cough, which may or may not produce mucus. COPD progressively worsens, with everyday activities such as walking or dressing becoming difficult. While COPD is incurable, it is preventable and treatable. The two most common types of COPD are emphysema and chronic bronchitis and have been the two classic COPD phenotypes.
The respiratory system (also respiratory apparatus, ventilatory system) is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures used for gas exchange in animals and plants. The anatomy and physiology that make this happen varies greatly, depending on the size of the organism, the environment in which it lives and its evolutionary history. In land animals the respiratory surface is internalized as linings of the lungs. Gas exchange in the lungs occurs in millions of small air sacs; in mammals and reptiles these are called alveoli, and in birds they are known as atria.
A bronchus (: bronchi, pronounced BRAN-KAI) is a passage or airway in the lower respiratory tract that conducts air into the lungs. The first or primary bronchi to branch from the trachea at the carina are the right main bronchus and the left main bronchus. These are the widest bronchi, and enter the right lung, and the left lung at each hilum. The main bronchi branch into narrower secondary bronchi or lobar bronchi, and these branch into narrower tertiary bronchi or segmental bronchi.
Understanding the functional dynamics of ligand-gated ion-channels (LGIC's) on the molecular level is the aim of this thesis. Members of the protein family of LGIC's are involved in the fast synaptic signal transmission and thereby play a central role in i ...
EPFL2009
Three diamond workers had occupational asthma attributed to the inhalation of cobalt powder. The exposure originated from high speed polishing disks with an abrasive consisting of microdiamonds cemented in extra fine cobalt not alloyed to tungsten carbide. ...
1985
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We combined biophys., biochem., and pharmacol. approaches to investigate the ability of the a1a- and a1b-adrenergic receptor (AR) subtypes to form homo- and hetero-oligomers. Receptors tagged with different epitopes (hemagglutinin and Myc) or fluorescent p ...