Online Asthma Treatment: Get an Inhaler Prescription via Telehealth

Your rescue inhaler is running low, your refills have expired, and the thought of scheduling an in-person appointment — then waiting days or weeks to be seen — is frustrating when you know exactly what you need. Or maybe your asthma has been creeping back: more coughing at night, tightness during exercise, reaching for your rescue inhaler more often than you'd like. Either way, you need a provider, and you need one soon.

At Innocre, getting an inhaler prescription — or a comprehensive asthma treatment plan — is as simple as booking a telehealth visit. A board-certified nurse practitioner evaluates your symptoms, prescribes the right inhaler, and creates a personalized asthma action plan. All for $68, HSA/FSA accepted, serving patients in Maryland, Washington, and Delaware.

What Inhalers Can Innocre Prescribe Online?

Asthma treatment involves two categories of medications: quick-relief (rescue) medications for acute symptoms, and long-term controller medications that prevent symptoms from occurring in the first place. Your Innocre provider can prescribe both.

Rescue Inhalers (Quick-Relief)

Rescue inhalers contain short-acting beta-agonists (SABAs) that rapidly relax the muscles around your airways, providing relief within minutes during an asthma attack or flare-up:

• Albuterol (ProAir HFA, Ventolin HFA, Proventil HFA) — The most commonly prescribed rescue inhaler. Works within 5-15 minutes and lasts 4-6 hours.
• Levalbuterol (Xopenex HFA) — A refined form of albuterol that may cause fewer side effects like jitteriness and rapid heart rate in some patients.

Every asthma patient should have a rescue inhaler available. If you're reaching for yours more than twice per week (outside of exercise), that's a signal that your asthma needs better long-term control — which is where controller medications come in.

Controller Inhalers (Long-Term Prevention)

Controller medications are taken daily regardless of symptoms. They reduce the underlying airway inflammation that causes asthma attacks, making flare-ups less frequent and less severe:

• Inhaled Corticosteroids (ICS) — fluticasone (Flovent), budesonide (Pulmicort), beclomethasone (QVAR). The cornerstone of persistent asthma treatment, these reduce inflammation directly in the airways.
• Combination ICS/LABA Inhalers — budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort), fluticasone/salmeterol (Advair), fluticasone/vilanterol (Breo Ellipta). These pair an inhaled corticosteroid with a long-acting bronchodilator for dual-action control.
• Long-Acting Muscarinic Antagonists (LAMA) — tiotropium (Spiriva Respimat). An add-on option for patients whose asthma isn't fully controlled on ICS/LABA combinations.

Additional Asthma Medications

• Leukotriene Modifiers — montelukast (Singulair). An oral medication that blocks inflammatory leukotrienes, useful as add-on therapy or for patients who also have allergic rhinitis.
• Oral Corticosteroid Bursts — prednisone or prednisolone. For acute asthma exacerbations, a short course of oral steroids can rapidly reduce airway inflammation.

Your Personalized Asthma Action Plan

An asthma action plan is a written document that tells you exactly what medications to take — and what actions to take — based on how you're feeling. It's one of the most effective tools for reducing asthma hospitalizations and ER visits. Every Innocre asthma patient receives one.

Your action plan uses the traffic-light system, customized to your specific medications and triggers:

Having a clear action plan eliminates the guesswork during a flare-up. You know exactly what to do, when to escalate, and when to seek emergency care — before panic sets in.

How an Online Asthma Visit Works

Step 1: Book your visit. Schedule at innocre.org. If you're just needing a rescue inhaler refill, mention that when you book — but plan for your provider to do a full assessment regardless, because good asthma care means looking at the whole picture.

Step 2: Clinical evaluation. Your provider will ask about your symptom frequency and patterns, nighttime symptoms, exercise tolerance, current medications and inhaler technique, triggers (allergens, exercise, cold air, illness), and how often you're using your rescue inhaler. This conversation tells your provider where your asthma falls on the severity spectrum — intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent, or severe persistent — which determines the right treatment approach.

Step 3: Prescriptions and action plan. Based on your evaluation, your provider prescribes the appropriate inhalers and creates your asthma action plan. Prescriptions are sent to your pharmacy electronically.

Step 4: Ongoing management. Asthma isn't static — it changes with seasons, life circumstances, and overall health. Regular follow-ups (typically every 3-6 months for well-controlled asthma) ensure your treatment plan evolves with your needs.

When Telehealth Is Right for Asthma — and When It's Not

Telehealth is appropriate and effective for the majority of asthma care, including initial evaluation and diagnosis of mild-to-moderate asthma, rescue inhaler prescriptions and refills, controller medication initiation and adjustment, asthma action plan development, and ongoing monitoring and follow-up visits.

However, your Innocre provider may refer you to a pulmonologist or recommend in-person evaluation if you've had multiple hospitalizations or ER visits for asthma, your asthma isn't controlled despite multiple medications, you need pulmonary function testing (spirometry) for diagnosis or assessment, you may be a candidate for biologic therapies (for severe asthma), or there's concern about an alternative diagnosis.

This isn't a limitation of telehealth — it's good clinical judgment. Your Innocre provider will always guide you toward the right level of care.

Common Asthma Triggers and How to Manage Them

Knowing and avoiding your triggers is just as important as taking the right medication. During your visit, your Innocre provider will help you identify and develop strategies for your personal triggers:

Allergens: Dust mites, pet dander, pollen, and mold are the most common allergic triggers. Environmental controls — HEPA filters, allergen-proof bedding covers, and strategic cleaning habits — can dramatically reduce exposure.

Respiratory infections: Colds and flu are leading triggers for asthma flare-ups. Your provider can recommend annual flu vaccination and discuss strategies for managing asthma during upper respiratory infections.

Exercise: Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction affects many asthma patients but shouldn't prevent you from being active. Using your rescue inhaler 15-20 minutes before exercise, or using a daily controller medication, usually prevents symptoms effectively.

Weather and air quality: Cold air, humidity changes, and poor air quality days can all trigger symptoms. Your provider can help you plan around these factors.

Irritants: Tobacco smoke, strong odors, cleaning chemicals, and air pollution worsen asthma. Avoiding exposure is the primary strategy, and your provider can offer practical guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions