Long-acting β2-agonists (LABA) are one of the most important groups of drugs in asthma and COPD treatment. Currently only salmeterol and formoterol are used in clinical practice. The main aim of asthma treatment is to achieve and maintain clinical control of the disease. GINA recommended amongst other LABA to be used as controller medication. However LABA should be use together with inhalated glicocorticosteroids (iGCS) in one or in two separaterd inhalers. LABA play also an important role in preventing exercise induced bronchospasm. LABA use in children especially younger than five years, is controversial most of all due to a not sufficient number of clinical trials showing their efficacy and safety in this age group. Also in childhood asthma the inflammatory process is even more pronounced than in adults and contributes to the clinical severity more than the bronchospasm. LABA are widely use in COPD treatment as a chronic treatment starting at stage two severity (moderate COPD). In general LABA are safe drugs, in asthma, to prevent tachyphylaxis,  they have to taken only when accompanied by iCS, however. This limitation does not apply to COPD.