Though asthma affects almost 340 million people worldwide, there is still no cure. The respiratory disease frequently develops in childhood and can cause asthma “attacks” when the lungs become inflamed and the airways constrict, causing breathing difficulty and wheezing. These attacks are caused by a number of factors, including pollution, allergens, and smoking.
The condition is often treated by inhaling a bronchodilator drug called a beta-agonist, such as Ventolin. During an asthma attack, inhalers deliver beta-agonist into the airways. This causes the muscles in the airway to relax, allowing the patient to breathe more easily. But this type of medicine doesn’t work very well for everyone—and there are limited other options for medicines that can be used to treat acute asthma attacks.