第2809期:How exactly do inhalers work?(3)

In chronic bronchitis, the airway’s lining is inflamed and produces more mucus to trap incoming smoke or dust particles. And the little hairs lining the airways that normally help push the mucus out are often damaged, so the mucus gets stuck. During a COPD attack, rescue inhalers open the airways, just as they do for asthma.在慢性支气管炎中，气道的内壁会发炎，并分泌出更多的黏液来捕捉进入的烟雾或灰尘颗粒。而那些原本排列在气道上的微小毛发（纤毛），通常负责将黏液向外排出，却常常受到损伤，导致黏液堆积无法排出。当COPD（慢阻肺）发作时，急救型吸入器可以像治疗哮喘一样，帮助打开气道。Preventative inhalers are used daily to stop asthma and COPD symptoms before they even start. They often contain both a corticosteroid, which reduces inflammation, and a long-acting bronchodilator.预防型吸入器则是每天使用，用来在哮喘或COPD症状出现之前就加以控制。它们通常同时含有糖皮质激素（可减少炎症）和长效支气管扩张剂。In fact, one class of bronchodilators for patients with COPD is related to the compounds in thorn apples. These drugs block signals from the nerves that tell the airway muscles to contract. Those same nerve signals are thought to be responsible for increasing mucus in the lungs, so these drugs may help clear the airways as well.事实上，用于治疗COPD患者的一类支气管扩张剂，其化学成分与曼陀罗中的化合物有关。这类药物通过阻断神经向气道肌肉发出的收缩信号来起作用。而这些神经信号也被认为会促进肺部黏液的增加，因此这种药物可能还能帮助清除气道。