Why?
SMART stands for Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy. SMART is now recommended by many asthma experts because it decreases your risk of losing control of your asthma or having an asthma exacerbation. In many ways, SMART is like your current regimen – it involves using inhalers every day and when you need them. SMART is likely different than what you are normally prescribed though because you use the same inhaler as an everyday inhaler AND when you need it. In other words, the same inhaler is both your maintenance or everyday inhaler and your rescue or reliever inhaler. You no longer need to remember which is which!
You should consider switching your asthma management plan to SMART if your healthcare provider tells you it is the right therapy for you. Many patients prescribed SMART have told us they like it better because it is simpler and easier to remember to do (since it involves just one inhaler). And SMART lowers your risk of doctor or emergency room visits since you may have fewer asthma exacerbations.
Potentially. SMART can improve asthma symptoms for some patients. You can use a puff of your SMART inhaler before you exercise or do activities if you experience asthma symptoms while exerting yourself.
Who?
Asthma therapy is different for every person, and you should discuss with your healthcare provider (like a doctor or nurse practitioner) what therapy is best for you. You may need more medications for your asthma than just an inhaler, or your asthma may be so mild that you only need an inhaler once in a while. Your healthcare provider can talk with you about making these decisions.
SMART may be particularly beneficial if you frequently forget to take your inhaler or have trouble remembering what inhaler is your rescue inhaler and what inhaler is your everyday inhaler (since with SMART you are only prescribed one type of inhaler).
What?
The medications used in SMART are inhalers that deliver medications directly to your lungs. The inhaler used for SMART contains a particular type of medication that relaxes and opens your airways in combination with an anti-inflammatory medication. In the United States, the current medications that work with SMART are budesonide-formoterol or mometasone-formoterol, often sold under the brand names of Symbicort, Breyna, or Dulera.
In previous studies SMART has been shown to be as safe as the classic way of taking inhalers. In fact, SMART is likely safer than what you were doing before since it decreases your risk of having an asthma exacerbation or asthma flare. Using SMART inhalers can have side effects. Some rare side effects include a sensation of your heart going fast, and thrush (meaning yeast buildup on your tongue).
SMART does not have any unique long-term side effects. In fact, using SMART should decrease your risk of having an asthma exacerbation or asthma flare. This means SMART could help you avoid long-term problems with your asthma.
If you miss a dose of your inhaler that is generally okay. If you realize you missed a dose and are having asthma symptoms, you should take a puff of your rescue inhaler.
When?
How often you see your doctor or nurse practitioner for your asthma depends on how bad your asthma is and how often they think you need to see a healthcare provider. Generally, it is recommended that patients see their healthcare provider for asthma at least once a year. If your asthma is impacting your quality of life, or feels out of control, let your healthcare provider know and schedule an appointment to talk to them sooner.
Like albuterol, the inhaler used for SMART should work within minutes. One puff of the inhaler used with SMART is similar to two puffs of albuterol, helping to relax, or open, the airways – improving symptoms for most patients. If you need repeated doses, or puffs, of your inhaler and are don’t feel better, let your healthcare provider know and/or seek emergency care.
When prescribed a new asthma treatment, take some time to learn about it. Your healthcare provider may have given you an Asthma Action Plan, which includes information on how and when to use your inhaler. Our website also has other useful information about asthma and SMART, including videos on how to best use your inhaler.
How?
The inhalers used with SMART should be prescribed by a healthcare professional like your doctor or a nurse practitioner. You should ask them if using SMART may be right for you.
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