Advair, Symbicort, Serevent, Foradil Getting New FDA Warnings
Long-acting beta agonists are under the gun again for increasing the risk of hospitalization and death in some patients. Emphasis on the “some” – remember that these risks are serious and scary, especially if you or your kid needs the meds, but they’re also rare. The FDA wants these two limits in order to reduce complications but still keep LABAs available for patients who absolutely need them:
- Get patients off the combination inhalers (Advair, Symbicort) wherever possible
- Use any long-acting beta agonists (Serevent and Foradil are LABAs only) for the shortest amount of time you can and never as your sole treatment
Response to Steroid Inhalers, Singulair Unpredictable
This bit of research confirms some patients just don’t respond well to inhaled corticosteroids and leukotriene modifiers. Unfortunately, it also confirms that no one really knows why. Anecdotally and personally speaking, I’ve definitely noted a varied response within my own family. AG can’t use Singulair for maintenance, for example, but two of her relatives swear by it.
Moving on!
Estrogen-Only Hormone Therapy Ups Asthma Risk After Menopause
And women are more likely than men to develop adult-onset asthma, so I’m filing this one away in my brain for the future.
Employee Rights, Disability, and Asthma
For Tuesday’s comment discussion on single asthma parenting and workplace rights, this might be a good place to start reading.
the first story freaks the heck out of me. We’ve run the gamut of the maintenance meds, and the combo’s are the only ones that give us even SOME semblance of control. We already fight the insurance company for meds, because they want to verify dosages every time…they don’t like it that she takes adult meds at adult dosages.
I look forward to your Friday links every week. It’s always something interesting, even if it’s something that freaks me out.