What does MART mean in PRESCRIPTION

What is MART?

MART stands for Maintenance And Reliever Therapy. It is an approach to treating chronic conditions like asthma that combines both long-term maintenance medications with fast-acting relief medications taken when necessary. The maintenance medications are usually inhaled corticosteroids or short course specific anti-inflammatory agents, while the reliever medications can be quick-relief inhalers, such as those containing short-acting beta agonists (SABAs). The aim of MART is to reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks or flares by providing both preventive maintenance and rapid relief from symptoms.

Benefits of MART

MART offers many benefits for asthma patients, including improved symptom control, prevention or reduction in exacerbations, reduction in hospitalizations due to asthma-related complications, improved quality of life as well as reduced health care costs associated with asthma treatment. Additionally, MART has been shown to be effective in providing symptomatic relief during exercise induced bronchospasm.

How Does it Work?

The components of MART work together to help manage symptoms and prevent flare-ups. The maintenance medication works by reducing inflammation in the airways and decreasing sensitivity to allergens that can cause asthma symptoms. The reliever medication acts quickly to reverse narrowing caused by spasms in the airways which can result in wheezing and shortness of breath; it also relaxes muscles around the airways so they can open up more easily so you can breathe easier during an episode. In essence, while the maintenance medication helps keep symptoms at bay on a daily basis, when taken on an as needed basis the reliever medication acts quickly enough to mitigate a potential attack before it becomes too severe.