title: Safety and efficacy of beta agonists.
abstract: Both short-acting and long-acting beta agonists have been used for many years for the treatment of asthma. Short-acting beta agonists are life-saving and their role as rescue agents is unquestioned, but regular use is not recommended because of safety concerns and the effectiveness of asthma-controller medications. Long-acting beta agonists are effective controller medications but have safety issues, so their use should be restricted to patients who are not optimally controlled on first-line controllers such as inhaled corticosteroids. The effect of the beta receptor genotype on beta agonist response is unclear but could hold promise for proper patient management.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. jdonohue@med.unc.edu
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Donohue
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D001980:Bronchi / Q000187:drug effects; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D005938:Glucocorticoids