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Quick Relief Medicine for Asthma

by Kathleen MacNaughton, R.N.
for About.com

Updated: August 5, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Definition: Quick relief medicine is asthma medicine that acts quickly, but only for a short-time, to relieve asthma symptoms that have already started. Reliever medicines are a type of medicine called bronchodilators, which means they expand and relax your bronchial airways. Thus, they will relieve asthma symptoms such as coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and wheezing.

Learn more about quick-relief asthma medicines

Sources: Medem Medical Library from the AMA, Allergy & Asthma Foundation of America

Also Known As: reliever medicines, rescue medicines, short-term medicines, bronchodilators
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