It should not be used as a rescue medication for short-term relief of asthma symptoms.

These are potent, immediate-release narcotics often referred to as rescue medications - to "rescue the individual from that pain," he says.

It's usually prescribed as a rescue medication.

However, most mild asthma attacks should respond to treatment with an inhaler or nebulizer containing a bronchodilator, known as rescue medication (the best-known bronchodilator is called albuterol).

Make sure your doctor makes clear which drugs are controller medications and which are rescue medications, and how and when they should be taken.

Patients on statins also reported that they had used their rescue medications [inhalers] 72% more often than they had at the start of the study.

Those who weren't taking statins used rescue medications 9% more than they had before.

Was the idea of including a placebo arm suggested but rejected as "unethical," even though rescue medication could have been used?

The rescue medications are best for treating sudden asthma symptoms.

They also use a bronchodilator such as albuterol as a rescue medication to treat any breakthrough symptoms.