Reactive airways disease, once thought to be a disease of the bronchial smooth muscle, is now recognized as primarily an inflammatory disease. Treatment of the process should be directed at control of inflammation. Current anti-inflammatory treatment relies heavily on corticosteroids, but experimental drugs are focused on interventions that will limit the role of leukotrienes (LTs). Beta-agonists continue to play a role in acute therapy but a declining role in chronic therapy.
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