Which to give first for asthma--bronchodilator or corticosteroids?

Depends: The 2 medications you mention work very differently. For rescue therapy during an acute exacerbation with cough, wheeze, & trouble breathing, a bronchodilator is the right choice. However, if your asthma symptoms are more persistent, corticosteroids are a great choice to achieve symptomatic control. There are also times when you take the 2 together. Discuss with your doctor wha's best for you.

See below: For an acute attack, short acting bronchodilators should be started first and then steroids afterward. Bronchodilators temporarily open the airways and are rescue medicines and steroids are maintenance medicines to help prevent chronic and acute inflammation.