Which drug class dilates the bronchi?

Which drug class dilates the bronchi?

• A. Antiviral
• B. Bronchodilator
• C. Decongestant
• D. DMARDs

Answer: (B)

Bronchodilation is widening of the airway lumen by relaxing bronchial smooth muscle, which reduces airway resistance and improves airflow. The drug class that achieves this effect is bronchodilators. They work through different mechanisms to relax or open the airways—beta-2 adrenergic agonists directly relax smooth muscle, anticholinergic agents reduce reflex bronchoconstriction, and methylxanthines increase cAMP to promote relaxation. In practice, bronchodilators are used to treat conditions with bronchoconstriction such as asthma and COPD. The other options serve different purposes: antivirals target viruses, decongestants mainly relieve nasal congestion by vasoconstriction, and DMARDs modify autoimmune disease processes.

Bronchodilation is widening of the airway lumen by relaxing bronchial smooth muscle, which reduces airway resistance and improves airflow. The drug class that achieves this effect is bronchodilators. They work through different mechanisms to relax or open the airways—beta-2 adrenergic agonists directly relax smooth muscle, anticholinergic agents reduce reflex bronchoconstriction, and methylxanthines increase cAMP to promote relaxation. In practice, bronchodilators are used to treat conditions with bronchoconstriction such as asthma and COPD. The other options serve different purposes: antivirals target viruses, decongestants mainly relieve nasal congestion by vasoconstriction, and DMARDs modify autoimmune disease processes.