American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Practice Exam

The appropriate medication for a patient with exercise-induced asthma to take before exercising is albuterol, which is a short-acting beta-agonist (SABA). Administering albuterol 10-15 minutes prior to exercise is effective in providing quick relief from asthma symptoms due to its action of relaxing the bronchial muscles, resulting in opened airways that are less likely to constrict during physical activity.

This approach helps to prevent bronchospasm that can occur during or after exercise, allowing the patient to engage in physical activities with reduced risk of asthma flare-ups. Albuterol acts relatively quickly following inhalation, making it the ideal choice for prophyactic use immediately preceding exercise.

Other medications listed do have roles in asthma management, but they are not as ideally suited for immediate pre-exercise use. Montelukast is a leukotriene receptor antagonist that helps with long-term asthma control but does not provide the rapid onset needed for acute symptom prevention before exercise. Cromolyn sodium, while used for exercise-induced symptoms, is generally less effective than albuterol and may require more frequent administration. Fluticasone, a corticosteroid, is designed for daily use to maintain control over chronic asthma rather than immediate symptom prevention during exercise. These factors