What is the primary function of preventers or controllers in asthma management?
Answer
To address underlying chronic inflammation and airway hypersensitivity
Preventers, also known as controllers, are medications fundamentally designed to manage the root cause of asthma, which involves chronic inflammation within the airways and resulting airway hypersensitivity. Unlike reliever medications, which provide immediate relief during an acute symptom flare-up by relaxing smooth muscles, preventers require consistent, often daily, administration to maintain a stable state, reduce swelling, and thereby lower the overall risk of experiencing future asthma exacerbations. Their efficacy is based on long-term control of the underlying pathology rather than acute symptom management.
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