Is there an optimal time to use an asthma inhaler?

According to a British study published in the journal Thorax, taking a single puff of your asthma inhaler in the mid-afternoon may offer the most effective asthma control.

For asthma patients, airflow obstruction and airway inflammation tend to worsen overnight, and nearly 80 per cent of fatal asthma attacks occur during this time. Aligning medication timing with the body’s natural rhythms—a strategy known as chronotherapy—can significantly enhance treatment effectiveness.

The researchers found that a midday dose can more effectively suppress the typical nocturnal worsening of symptoms than dosing at other times of day.

In the study, 21 patients aged 18 to 65 with mild to moderate asthma were randomly assigned to one of three dosing regimens for 28 days each: 400 µg of beclomethasone once daily between 8 am and 9 am; 400 µg once daily between 3 pm and 4 pm; and 200µg twice-daily between 8 am and 9 am and between 8 pm and 9 pm. Each patient completed all three regimens in a randomised order, with a two-week washout period between each.

The mid-afternoon dosing schedule led to the greatest improvement in nighttime lung function and the most significant reduction in airway inflammation, compared with both the once-daily morning and standard twice-daily regimens.

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