Controller medications
Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs)
ICSs are the most effective anti-inflammatory medications
available for the treatment of asthma and represent
the mainstay of therapy for most patients with thedisease. Low-dose ICS monotherapy is recommended as
first-line maintenance therapy for most children and
adults with asthma. Regular ICS use has been shown to
reduce symptoms and exacerbations, and improve lung
function and quality of life. However, ICSs do not
“cure” asthma, and symptoms tend to recur within
weeks to months of ICS discontinuation. Therefore,
most patients will require long-term, if not life-long,
ICS treatment [4,6,7].