Leukotriene Inhibitors: Advancement in Asthma Treatment

Allergy season can affect your quality of life, often resulting in an inability to enjoy the outdoors or even rest comfortably. For many allergy sufferers, the use of prescription medications and over-the-counter aids, often result in side effects which further complication your health status.

In addition to allergies, some individuals also suffer from exacerbation of asthma complications at specific times of the year. For these asthma sufferers, there is often a very limited time in which any degree of physical activity can be enjoyed.

For many patients who suffer from allergies and chronic asthma, the use of daily inhaled corticosteroid therapy is quite common. However, based upon the long term health complications, many adults and children are turning to other forms of treatment.

As an alternative to the long term use of corticosteroids, some asthma and allergy suffers are now managing daily symptoms with a therapeutic dosing of leukotriene inhibitors. As a class of drugs that prevent the stimulation of leukotrienes, asthma and allergy sufferers are experiencing significant improvement in symptoms.

Because leukotriene inhibitors are designed to treat asthma and allergies in individuals of all ages, in a once-per-day dosing formula, many pediatricians are even turning to the use of leukotriene inhibitors in children. For example, the use of Montelukast, also known as Singulair, is effective and can be used in children as young as two years of age.

From exercise-induced asthma to aspirin allergy to allergic rhinitis, the use of leukotriene inhibitors is making great strides in the treatment of adults and children. In fact, a crossover study of the drug's effects have even shown some promising results in treating other inflammatory complications, including that associated with atopic dermatitis and chronic urticaria. While the use of the drugs for these conditions is not FDA approved, many doctors are providing leukotriene inhibitors as an alternative form of treatment.