Anti-inflammatory drugs for controlling asthma.

Anti-inflammatory agents are the first-line treatment for controlling mild persistent, moderate persistent, and severe persistent asthma. The choice of drug and dosage must be individualized to the patient. In general, the glucocorticoids are widely accepted as the most potent and preferred asthma treatment in most adults and some children. Cromolyn, because of its safety and availability in a nebulized form, is the first-line treatment in most young children. The leukotriene inhibitors appear to be effective in mild asthma, but further clinical studies are needed to determine their role more precisely. As the mechanisms of inflammation in asthma are further defined, new pharmaceutical products will be developed to aid in arresting this process.