Ventolin only treats asthma

I had a father of a cystic fibrosis child email me a few years back because he noted his child did not benefit from bronchodilator therapy, yet his doctor insisted, saying, "Your child has cystic fibrosis, and all cystic fibrosis patients benefit from bronchodilators such as ventolin."

I have had many chronic bronchitis and emphysema patients note the same.  And there are many of such patients that I have observed medicines such as Ventolin to have no effect, yet physicians continue to order them for all their COPD patients, and all their CF patients.

Yet all the evidence in the world suggests Ventolin and other B2 agonists benefit one disorder and one disorder only, and that is hyperactive airways or asthma.  It only benefits those other diseases when asthma is present.  If asthma is not present, Ventolin should not be ordered (although it should always be on hand).

Science shows that many, but not all, cases of CF are associated with hyperactive airways (and this is asthma).  The same is true of all COPD patients (not all have asthma). These conditions often present with comorbidities, and one of these is sometimes asthma.

Note the following facts

• Ventolin will not treat CF, it will only treat the underlying asthma
• Ventolin will not allow emphysema patients to grow more lung tissue
• Ventolin will not allow chronic bronchitis patients to stay infection free
• Ventolin will not help pneumonia patients cough up pneumonis.  

I had a doctor a few years back debate me on the later (as you can read here).  He noted a scientific study done that proved beyond a doubt that ventolin increases sputum production.  I wrote back, "What does increased sputum production have to do with pneumonia?  Asthmatics have more goblet cells than normal folks, and they are not less prone to pneumonia?"  

He never wrote back.  Proof that when the ignorant are presented with the facts, they are not able to argue, they just call those who disagree with them things like "stupid" and "moronic."