COPD drug may treat asthma, study says

COPD drug may also be an effective asthma treatment

American scientists said on Sunday that their study found that a drug used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may also be effective for asthma.

The researchers, led by Dr. Stephen Peters of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, said that a few physicians already prescribe the drug Spiriva to adults with asthma, but their clinical trial is the first one to confirm its effectiveness.

Spiriva would be an alternative to standard asthma medications called long-acting beta-agonists such as Advair, Serevent, and Symbicort, which can sometimes worsen the symptoms of asthma that may result to hospitalization and in rare cases, death.

The study was reported on Sunday during a convention of the European Respiratory Society in Barcelona, Spain, and published online in the New England Journal of Medicine.

A form of Spiriva with the generic name tiotropium bromide, can last up to 24 hours or more, giving long-lasting relief to asthma patients, said Dr. Michael D. Roth, a professor of pulmonary medicine at UCLA who was not part of the research group.

“It provides daylong relief, so that patients don’t have to think about getting in trouble part way through the day,” Dr. Roth said.

“When we’re desperate, we throw the kitchen sink at patients, and tiotropium does give them some relief,” said Dr. Payrus Patel, a pulmonary physician at Marina Del Rey Hospital.

Tiotropium was proven to be more effective in many criteria, including minimizing the number of days patients experience asthmatic symptoms, or did not use albuterol asthma inhalers.

Posted by George Daniels on Monday September 20 2010, 9:12 AM EST. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0