ProAir (also known as albuterol/salbutamol) is used in the prevention and treatment of wheezing and shortness of breath that is brought on by breathing problems such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is known as a fast-acting or quick relief drug, meaning it is intended to work almost immediately to relieve symptoms and distress. ProAir belongs to a class of drugs called bronchodilators.
What Are Bronchodilators?
Bronchodilators are medications that work by relaxing the muscles that surround your airways. These muscles—when tight, constrict the airways and limit breathing. The bronchodilator will relax these muscles and allow for the lungs to take in air more easily and in bigger amounts. Not only this, but bronchodilators also have an additional effect of removing mucus from your lungs. It does this task indirectly because mucus tends to get trapped when airways are constricted. If you free the airways up it also allows mucus to travel much easier, thus letting it be coughed up as it should be.
Short Acting Bronchodilators
People with asthma are well acquainted with bronchodilators, for those who don’t know, the standard asthma inhalers that you’re used to seeing in dramatic depictions of a bad asthma attack are short-acting bronchodilators in many cases. These are otherwise known as rescue inhalers. These types of bronchodilators are used to relieve acute asthma symptoms that come on very suddenly. After inhalation, the medicine gets to work within minutes and it has a duration of approximately 2-4 hours.
Long Acting Bronchodilators
Another type of bronchodilator apart from the short-acting variety is the long-acting bronchodilator. Long-acting bronchodilators are used in a different manner than the short-acting kind. Where a short-acting type is used for immediate relief and control upon having an asthma attack or bronchospasms, a long-acting type is used primarily for giving stability and control of asthma. It is generally taken twice a day.
What is Asthma?
Asthma is considered a chronic lung disease that makes it more difficult to breathe in and out. Because it is chronic, it almost never goes away, it can only be managed and treated. Although many people have asthma and lead quality lives, it can give the impression that asthma is not that dangerous. The truth is that unmanaged or unmitigated, asthma can be very dangerous.
When you have asthma, the airways in your lungs are typically more swollen or inflamed than what is considered ordinary. Many people consider asthmatics as just having breathing difficulties, but the truth is that this inflammation in the lungs is what causes problems. Because your lungs are sensitive, this means exposure to particles or particular things in the air can trigger an asthma attack.
An asthma attack is when something triggers your asthma and causes your airways to constrict, thus causing a spontaneous and immediate need for air. This is worse than usual because the airways constrict tightly and a thicker than ordinary mucus is produced, thus making it even harder to breath. An additional component to an asthma attack is the psychological factor of not being able to breathe, causing panic—which makes it more difficult to catch a breath. An asthma attack can easily bring on and coincide with a panic attack. Common asthma triggers are colds, dust, chemicals, smoke, and pet hair.
While it is common for many children to have asthma when their lungs are still small and developing, it can go away in adulthood. The misconception is that it is gone for good, but asthma can come back at any time since you already have a predisposition to it or have had it before. It is not unheard of for adults to get asthma later in life for the first time.
Tips For Living With Asthma
Having asthma, despite being manageable, can be a stressful experience if not approached properly. Being susceptible to bouts of wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath would give anyone anxiety and undue stress, therefore managing your symptoms and understanding your asthma triggers is the most important thing.
- Manage Your Stress/Anxiety. Being anxious and stressed out can lead to asthma symptoms worsening, noticing those symptoms worsening will…give you more stress and anxiety, thus leading to a vicious cycle. There are many, many ways in which anxiety can be amplified—more than can be listed in this article, and it’s best to discuss ways to reduce stress with a therapist or counselor.
- Exercise More, Not Less. Many people who have asthma or have children with asthma tend to erroneously believe that they should avoid exercise because it will trigger their asthma. This isn’t entirely accurate, too much of anything isn’t good, but that doesn’t mean we should refrain totally from it. Exercise does wonders in keeping your body strong and healthy, most importantly it will strengthen your immune system meaning fewer colds (thus lesser breathing problems), but it will also strengthen your lungs and lung capacity.
People with asthma should be selective about which activities they engage in though. For example, sports that require more intermittent bursts of effort like baseball, wrestling, volleyball, or swimming are much more preferable to activities that require higher cardiovascular toll such as basketball, track and field, soccer, and distance running. Additionally, while asthmatics can and do enjoy cold-weather activities, pushing your limits in these activities may not be advised as cold air will only serve to constrict the lungs further and make breathing more taxing.
- Always Have an Action Plan. While you should not live your life in fear of having an asthma attack, these things do happen. It’s important to keep track of how you’ve been doing in the past few weeks to months to notice any changes in your symptoms. How many nights a week do you have trouble breathing or how long has it been since you felt the effects of your asthma? Like a traffic signal, things tend to cycle between green, yellow, and sometimes red over the course of many years. Paying attention to changes will let you adjust your activity levels and other behaviors on the fly so that you can minimize the chances of having a flare-up.
Manage Your Asthma With ProAir
Having asthma doesn’t need to be the end all be all of the active lifestyle you desire. Medications such as ProAir have helped millions of people live quality lives that involve leisurely physical activity. ProAir can be used to manage the symptoms of asthma such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, etc. It can also be used to prevent asthma brought on by exercise, so you can get in shape and stay in shape without worrying about your asthma. Having this medication at your disposal will let you spend more time working and playing and less time concerned about your lungs!
Find Out If You Qualify For a ProAir Discount!
The Rx Solution is your helping hand when it comes to being able to afford prescription services. Our mission as a company is to make sure people have access to the medications that they require to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. With the cost of prescription medications constantly on the rise, it’s no surprise that many Americans have been left without recourse on trying to obtain these medications.
That’s where prescription assistance programs come in, manufacturers offer discounts on brand name prescription medications for those qualify for the programs. If you would like to see if you qualify for a ProAir discount, contact us here or give us a call at (888)-823-0042!