Pharmacology Categories for Review
The client with a respiratory disorder should be managed with several categories of medications. The client with an acute respiratory condition, such as bacterial pneumonia, is given an antibiotic to fight the infection, antipyretic medication for fever and body aches, and an anti-tussive for relief of cough. The client with a chronic respiratory condition may receive many of the same medications, with the addition of a steroid or bronchodilator. The following list contains the most commonly prescribed categories of medications used to treat clients with respiratory conditions:
- Antibiotics
- Antivirals
- Antituberculars
- Antitussives
- Bronchodilators
- Expectorants
- Leukotriene modifiers
- Mast-cell stabilizers
- Steroids