Overview Therapeutic strategies for treating asthma are via decreasing inflammation increasing sympathetic tone There are 7 families of drugs that are commonly used: corticosteroids β-agonists muscarinic antagonists methylxanthines cromolyn antileukotrienes omalizumab Methylxanthines Drugs theophylline Mechanism inhibition of phosphodiesterase leading to decreased cAMP hydrolysis causes bronchodilation metabolized by P-450 blocks actions of adenosine Toxicity seizures narrow therapeutic index nausea/vomiting arrhythmia