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©2013 UpToDate ® Print Email Asthma and its treatment When asthma flares, the muscles around the airways tighten (constrict), and the lining of the airways gets inflamed. Then, mucus builds up. All of this makes it hard to breathe. Asthma medicines work in different ways. Short-acting beta agonists (SABAs) and long-acting beta agonists (LABAs) relax the muscle constriction around the airways. Steroids reduce inflammation in the airways. Leukotriene modifiers relax muscles and reduce inflammation and mucus buildup. Omalizumab lowers or stops the allergic reaction that starts inflammation. All these medicines make it easier to breathe and reduce the risk of asthma attacks.