Matching articles for "Pulmicort Flexhaler"
In Brief: Stopping Long-Acting Beta-2 Agonists
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • March 22, 2010; (Issue 1334)
A little more than a year ago, The Medical Letter reported the results of an FDA meta-analysis which found that use of a long-acting beta-2 agonist (LABA) such as salmeterol (Severent) or formoterol (Foradil)...
A little more than a year ago, The Medical Letter reported the results of an FDA meta-analysis which found that use of a long-acting beta-2 agonist (LABA) such as salmeterol (Severent) or formoterol (Foradil) in patients with asthma was associated with an increased risk of a composite endpoint of asthma-related death, intubation or hospitalization; the highest risk was in children 4-11 years old.There was no significant increase in risk when a long-acting beta-2 agonist was used with an inhaled corticosteroid.The Medical Letter recommended that long-acting beta-2 agonists should not be used as monotherapy for asthma, especially in children, and that long-acting beta-2 agonists should be used for asthma only in combination with an inhaled corticosteroid, preferably in a fixed-dose combination in the same inhaler.1
Now the FDA has issued new Safe Use Requirements2 and labeling requirements for long-acting beta-2 agonists that include the following: “Stop use of the LABA, if possible, once asthma control is achieved and maintain the use of an asthma-controller medication such as an inhaled corticosteroid.”3
It has not been determined that patients taking a longacting beta-2 agonist in a fixed-dose combination with an inhaled corticosteroid have an increased risk of death or that stopping long-acting beta-2 agonists in such patients will improve long-term outcomes. A controlled clinical trial of these new requirements would be welcome.
1. Long-acting beta-2 agonists in asthma. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2009; 51:1.
2. www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch/default.htm
3. BA Chowdhury and G Dal Pan. The FDA and safe use of long-acting beta-agonists in the treatment of asthma. N Engl J Med 2010; Feb 24 (epub).
Download: U.S. English
Now the FDA has issued new Safe Use Requirements2 and labeling requirements for long-acting beta-2 agonists that include the following: “Stop use of the LABA, if possible, once asthma control is achieved and maintain the use of an asthma-controller medication such as an inhaled corticosteroid.”3
It has not been determined that patients taking a longacting beta-2 agonist in a fixed-dose combination with an inhaled corticosteroid have an increased risk of death or that stopping long-acting beta-2 agonists in such patients will improve long-term outcomes. A controlled clinical trial of these new requirements would be welcome.
1. Long-acting beta-2 agonists in asthma. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2009; 51:1.
2. www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch/default.htm
3. BA Chowdhury and G Dal Pan. The FDA and safe use of long-acting beta-agonists in the treatment of asthma. N Engl J Med 2010; Feb 24 (epub).
Download: U.S. English
Ciclesonide (Alvesco) - A New Inhaled Corticosteroid for Asthma
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • September 22, 2008; (Issue 1295)
The FDA has approved the marketing of the corticosteroid ciclesonide (Alvesco - Sepracor) in a hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) metered-dose inhaler formulation for maintenance treatment of asthma in patients >12 years...
The FDA has approved the marketing of the corticosteroid ciclesonide (Alvesco - Sepracor) in a hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) metered-dose inhaler formulation for maintenance treatment of asthma in patients >12 years old. Ciclesonide is also available in the US as a nasal spray for allergic rhinitis (Omnaris), and has been available for asthma in Europe since 2003.
Budesonide/Formoterol (Symbicort) for Asthma
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • February 11, 2008; (Issue 1279)
A combination of the corticosteroid budesonide and the long-acting beta2-agonist formoterol (Symbicort - AstraZeneca) has become available in a metered dose inhaler for long-term maintenance treatment of asthma...
A combination of the corticosteroid budesonide and the long-acting beta2-agonist formoterol (Symbicort - AstraZeneca) has become available in a metered dose inhaler for long-term maintenance treatment of asthma in patients ≥ 12 years old. A combination product that contains fluticasone propionate and salmeterol (Advair) is already available for this indication in the US. Neither one of these combinations is approved for acute treatment of asthma symptoms. A dry powder inhaler formulation of Symbicort has been available in Europe and Canada for several years.