Understanding Severe Asthma and Your Options

Severe asthma is tough to manage with regular medications. People with severe asthma often need stronger treatments. Two new treatments, Dupilumab and Benralizumab, are giving hope to many. Let’s explore how they work and which might be right for you.

What is Dupilumab?

Dupilumab is a type of medicine called a biologic. It targets a part of your immune system that causes inflammation in your lungs. This inflammation makes asthma worse. Dupilumab is given as a shot under your skin every few weeks. It helps reduce asthma attacks and improves how well your lungs work. It’s approved for adults and teenagers with moderate to severe asthma.

Understanding Benralizumab

Benralizumab works differently. It also targets the immune system, but it goes after a different part called interleukin-5 receptor (IL-5R). This part is important because it helps eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, stay alive and cause inflammation in your lungs. Benralizumab helps your body get rid of these eosinophils. It’s given as a shot under your skin every few weeks, just like Dupilumab. It’s approved for people with severe asthma who have high levels of eosinophils in their blood.

How to Choose Between Dupilumab and Benralizumab

Deciding between these two treatments depends on a few things:

• Your Asthma Type: Dupilumab works for different types of severe asthma, including those with high eosinophils and those without. Benralizumab is best for people with severe asthma who have high eosinophil levels.
• How Well They Work: Both treatments are good at reducing asthma attacks and improving lung function. Dupilumab works by calming down inflammation in your lungs broadly, while Benralizumab targets and reduces specific cells causing inflammation.
• Safety: Both treatments are generally safe, but they can cause some side effects like reactions at the injection site or, rarely, allergic reactions. Your doctor will monitor you closely to manage any risks.

Conclusion: Finding the Right Treatment for You

In conclusion, choosing between Dupilumab and Benralizumab is about finding what fits best with your asthma and health history. Talk to your doctor to see which one might work better for you. These new treatments are exciting because they offer more options for managing severe asthma and improving your quality of life.

Understanding how Dupilumab and Benralizumab work can help you make an informed decision alongside your healthcare provider. Both treatments bring new hope for people battling severe asthma, offering ways to better control symptoms and live a healthier life despite the challenges asthma brings.

In the end, finding the right treatment means taking a step towards managing your severe asthma more effectively.