Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. In susceptible individuals this inflammation causes recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, cough, and other symptoms. Asthma medications fall into 2 general classes: medications for long-term control and medications for quick relief of airflow obstruction and symptoms. Medications for quick relief of bronchoconstriction and acute symptoms include short-acting beta₂-agonists and anticholinergics. The purpose of this review is to compare the benefits and harms of short-acting beta₂-agonists and ipratropium bromide used for quick relief of asthma symptoms.

Contents

• Introduction
  • Asthma
  • Exercise-induced asthma
  • Inhaled beta₂-agonists
  • Inhaled anticholinergic agents
  • Scope and Key Questions
• Methods
  • Literature Search
  • Study Selection
  • Data Abstraction
  • Quality Assessment
  • Data Analysis and Synthesis
• Results
  • Systematic reviews
  • Efficacy and effectiveness
  • Safety
  • Subpopulations
• Conclusions
• References
• Appendixes
  • Appendix A. Search strategies
  • Appendix B. Quality assessment methods for drug class reviews for the Drug Effectiveness Review Project
  • Appendix C. Cochrane systematic reviews related to beta₂-agonists
  • Appendix D. Excluded studies
• Evidence Tables

Original report:
Susan L. Norris, MD, MPH
Po-Yin Yen, MS
Tracy L. Dana, MLS
Byron R. Care, MA
Brittany U. Burda

The funding source, the Center for Evidence-based Policy, is supported by 17 organizations, including 15 state Medicaid programs. These organizations selected the topic and had input into the Key Questions for this review. The content and conclusions of the review are entirely determined by the Evidence-based Practice Center researchers. The authors of this report have no financial interest in any company that makes or distributes the products reviewed in this report.

Suggested citation:

Norris S, McNally T, Thakurta S. Drug class review: Quick-relief medications for asthma. 2008. http://www.ohsu.edu/drugeffectiveness/reports/final.cfm

The purpose of this report is to make available information regarding the comparative effectiveness and safety profiles of different drugs within pharmaceutical classes. Reports are not usage guidelines, nor should they be read as an endorsement of, or recommendation for, any particular drug, use or approach. Oregon Health & Science University does not recommend or endorse any guideline or recommendation developed by users of these reports.