Some asthma patients experience mild symptoms while others have more frequent attacks. Treatments can solve most the asthma problem. However, about 10 per cent of the people won’t find relief, even when they take high doses of medication.
Aster Hospitals is one of the best hospitals for asthma treatment in Dubai. In this blog, we will check out some of the recent developments that are taking asthma treatment to a new level.
Tezspire (tezepelumab-ekko): A Breakthrough
In Dec. 2021, Tezspire, an injectable drug, came into the limelight in the US after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared it safe to consume. The drug underwent various clinical trials before its launch.
Tezspire is effective against severe asthma as it only targets a type of molecule that is involved in airway inflammation. The prescribed patients can continue their current medications along with the new drug.
The drug can be used by patients aged 12 years and older.
The FDA, told the media, “Patients who start using Tezspire should not discontinue their inhaled or systemic corticosteroid asthma treatments abruptly. Any reductions should be gradual and under the direct supervision of a health care professional.”
Tezspire received early approval after the NAVIGATOR phase 3 trial where its results are published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
During the trial, 1061 patients were randomly chosen to receive Tezspire (529 patients) or placebo (532 patients). Here is the annualized rate for:
- · Asthma exacerbation- 0.93
- · Placebo- 2.10 To know more about Tezspire, you can consult the best pulmonologist in Dubai.
- What are the other drugs available for severe asthma?
- · Omalizumab (treats asthma due to severe allergy)
- · Mepolizumab, reslizumab, and benralizumab (treat asthma caused by a type of white blood cell known as eosinophil
Furthermore, Dupilumab is an add-on maintenance treatment that is available in the form of injection. This drug can be given to patients between the ages of 6 to 11.
Tiotropium (Spiriva)
This FDA approved drug is used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). According to media reports, the drug makes asthma management easier when used with high doses of inhaled corticosteroids and short-acting beta-agonists.
Leukotriene modifiers
These are a group of medications that can help prevent breathing problems associated with allergies, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Here are a few leukotriene modifiers that have been approved to treat asthma:
- · Montelukast (Singulair)
- · Zafirlukast (Accolate)
- · Zileuton (Zyflo)
These medications shall be consumed through the mouth to treat or prevent an asthma attack.
Bronchial thermoplasty
This surgical technique is used to treat severe asthma. However, bronchial thermoplasty hasn’t improved compared to other treatments. According to studies, the drug may not be a cure for asthma but it does reduce its symptoms.
What does the future hold?
Healthcare experts and researchers are working hard to invent new drugs that will be able to relieve and prevent asthma symptoms. Fevipiprant is one potential drug that is currently phase III clinical trials for the treatment of asthma.