Medicus, Vol. 22 No. 1_Astma, 2013.
Review article
Role of leukotriene receptor antagonists in asthma treatment
Žarko Vrbica
; Opća bolnica Dubrovnik i Sveučilište u Dubrovniku
Abstract
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. Anti-inflammatory treatment is the cornerstone of the modern asthma therapy. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are currently the most effective anti-inflammatory medications for asthma treatment but are unable to achieve asthma control in all patients. Leukotrienes are important inflammatory mediators in asthma and their effects can be blocked by leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA). With addition of LTRA to ICS therapy one can achieve better asthma control. As the LTRA are administered by oral route, they have much better anti-inflammatory effect in the distal parts of the lungs and small airways with better patient compliance. In the “real life” studies, addition of LTRA to standard treatment showed significant improvement in all parameters of asthma control. LTRA have showed increased efficacy in several phenotypes of asthma like: asthma with allergic rhinitis, nocturnal asthma, exercise or cold-induced asthma and aspirin-induced asthma. Proper combination of available anti-inflammatory drugs can result in adequate control in more than 80% of our patients.
Keywords
asthma; anti-inflammatory treatment; leukotrienes; leukotriene receptor antagonists; allergic rhinitis; exercise induced asthma; small airways
Hrčak ID:
106480
URI
Publication date:
15.5.2013.
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