title: Long-acting beta 2-agonists. Role in primary care asthma treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the efficacy of long-acting beta 2-agonists and their role in primary care asthma management and to review briefly the pharmacology of these agents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Most data presented were derived from randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. Studies were selected for relevance to asthma management in primary care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Long-acting beta 2-agonist use is associated with improvements in both objective and subjective measures of asthma control. At present no evidence suggests that long-acting beta 2-agonists have anti-inflammatory potential. While salmeterol has a longer duration of action than short-acting beta 2-agonists, its onset of action is slower. Salmeterol and formoterol, therefore, should not be used for relief of acute bronchospasm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-acting beta 2-agonists could be useful for treating asthma in primary care, particularly for controlling symptoms of nocturnal asthma and exercise-induced asthma and for providing convenient maintenance therapy for patients who require regular use of short-acting beta 2-agonists despite concomitant use of optimal doses of inhaled anti-inflammatory medication.
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Asthma Clinic, Toronto, ON.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: D'Urzo
mesh_terms: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000420:Albuterol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate; D006801:Humans; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D004983:Ethanolamines; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D000420:Albuterol; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate