Drugs used in respiratory medicine

Question 1

• Short-acting inhaled bronchodilator.
• Relaxes bronchial smooth muscle through effects on beta 2 receptors
• Used in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Salmeterol has similar effects but is long-acting

Answer 1

Salbutamol

Question 2

• Inhaled preparations are used as mainterance therapy in asthma/COPD
• Oral or intravenous preparations are used following an acute exacerbation of asthma or COPD

Answer 2

Corticosteroids

Question 3

• Short-acting inhaled bronchodilator. Relaxes bronchial smooth muscle
• Used primarily in COPD
• Tiotropium has similar effects but is long-acting

Answer 3

Ipratropium

Question 4

Non-specific inhibitor of phosphodiesterase resulting in an increase in cAMP
* Given orally or intravenously
* Has a narrow therapeutic index

Answer 4

Theophylline

Question 5

*Have anti-inflammatory and bronchodilatory properties
*used when patients are poorly controlled on high-dose ICS and LABA
*useful in aspirin-induced asthma
*associated with the development of Churg-Strauss syndrome

Answer 5

Leukotriene receptor antagonists
e.g. Montelukast, zafirlukast