Prevention with and without the use of medications for exercise-induced asthma

Exercise-induced asthma or bronchospasm occurs in approximately 12% of the population. It can be prevented with proper techniques of exercise and environmental exposures and with medication. Exercise techniques include timing of exercise to less than 5-min interludes and continued repeat exercise every hour. Exercising to less than full tolerance may avoid the onset of exercise-induced asthma. In some individuals exercise in warm, humidified air is less asthmogenic than in dry, cold air. Medications that are effective and safe include bronchodilators such as theophylline and beta-agonists and prevention with cromolyn sodium in the atopic or sulfite exposed individual.