Medications used to treat asthma can be divided into control medications and relief medications. (1) Control medications: These are medications that require long-term daily use. These drugs maintain clinical control of asthma mainly through anti-inflammatory effects, and include inhaled glucocorticoids (referred to as hormones) systemic hormones, leukotriene modulators, long-acting β2-agonists (LABA, which must be combined with inhaled hormones), extended-release theophylline, sodium cromoglycate, anti-IgE antibodies, and other drugs that help reduce the dose of systemic hormones; (2) Relief drugs: are drugs used on an as-needed basis. These drugs relieve asthma symptoms by rapidly relieving bronchospasm, and include fast-acting inhaled β2-agonists, systemic hormones, inhaled anticholinergics, short-acting theophylline, and short-acting oral β2-agonists. Hormones Hormones are the most effective drugs for controlling airway inflammation. Routes of administration include inhalation, oral and intravenous application. Inhalation is the preferred route. Inhalation administration: Inhalation hormone has strong local anti-inflammatory effect; through the inhalation process, the drug acts directly on the respiratory tract and requires a small dose. Most of the drugs entering the bloodstream through the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts are inactivated by the liver, and therefore systemic adverse effects are less frequent. The results of the study prove that inhaled hormones can effectively reduce asthma symptoms, improve quality of life, improve lung function, reduce airway hyperresponsiveness, control airway inflammation, reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks, and reduce the morbidity and mortality rate. When different inhalation devices are used, they may produce different therapeutic effects. Most adults with asthma have good control of their asthma with small doses of inhaled hormones. Excessive increases in inhaled hormone doses have less benefit and more adverse effects on asthma control. Because smoking can reduce the effectiveness of hormones, patients who smoke must quit smoking and be given higher doses of inhaled hormones. There is a very clear relationship between the dose of inhaled hormone and the prevention of severe acute asthma attacks, so high doses of inhaled hormone over a long period of time are beneficial in patients with severe asthma. Local adverse effects of inhaled hormones in the oropharynx include hoarseness, pharyngeal discomfort, and Candida infection. The above-mentioned adverse effects can be reduced by rinsing the oropharynx with water promptly after inhalation, choosing dry powder inhalers or adding a nebulizer. The magnitude of systemic adverse reactions to inhaled hormones is related to the drug dose, bioavailability of the drug, absorption in the intestinal tract, hepatic first-pass metabolism rate and half-life of systemically absorbed drugs. Among the marketed inhaled hormones, fluticasone propionate and budesonide have fewer systemic adverse reactions. There is evidence that adult asthmatics who inhale low to moderate doses of hormones daily do not experience significant systemic adverse effects. Possible systemic adverse effects following long-term high doses of inhaled hormones include skin petechiae, suppression of adrenal function, and decreased bone mineral density. There has been research evidence that inhaled hormones may be associated with the development of cataracts and glaucoma, but there is no evidence from prospective studies of a clear association with the development of posterior subcapsular cataracts. There is no evidence that inhaled hormones can increase the incidence of pulmonary infections, including tuberculosis, so patients with asthma with active tuberculosis may be given inhaled hormone therapy in conjunction with anti-tuberculosis treatment.