Product Details: Advair HFA (Salmeterol/Fluticasone)

PLEASE NOTE BRAND ADVAIR HFA IS ALSO MARKETED INTERNATIONALLY UNDER THE NAME SERETIDE EVOHALER.

Brand Name Options - Manufacturer: GlaxoSmithKline

Generic Options - Manufacturer: Generic

What are Generics? A generic drug is a copy of the brand-name drug with the same dosage, safety, strength, quality, how it is taken, performance, and intended use. Before generics become available on the market, the generic company must prove it has the same active ingredients as the brand-name and works the same way in the body in the same amount of time.

The only differences between generics and their brand-name counterparts is the generics are less expensive and may look slightly different (e.g. different shape or color), as trademark laws prevent a generic from looking exactly like the brand-name drug.

Generics are less expensive because generic manufacturers don't have to invest large sums of money to invent a drug. When the brand-name patent expires, generic companies can manufacture a copy of the brand-name drug and sell it at substantial discounts.

Description

The international version of this product has strengths of 50/25mcg, 125mcg/25mcg and 250mcg/25mcg which correspond to the strengths of 45/21mcg, 115/21mcg and 230/21mcg in the United States. The products are identical, the difference is due to alternate ways of measuring the strength.

This medicine is a long-acting corticosteroid and bronchodilator combination used to treat chronic asthma in certain patients. It may also be used to treat other breathing conditions as determined by your doctor.

Directions

Follow the directions for using this medicine provided by your doctor. This medicine comes with a Medication Guide. Read it carefully. Read it again each time you get this medicine refilled. Ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist any questions that you may have about this medicine. You must prime the inhaler before you use it for the first time. To prime the inhaler, shake it well for 5 seconds then pump 1 test spray into the air away from your face. Repeat this 3 more times to be sure the inhaler is fully primed. You will need to re-prime the inhaler if you drop it or if you have not used it in more than 4 weeks. To re-prime the inhaler, shake it well for 5 seconds then pump 1 test spray into the air away from the face. Repeat this step 1 more time to be sure the inhaler is fully primed. BEFORE USING THIS MEDICINE, be sure that the canister is properly inserted into the inhaler unit. SHAKE WELL for 5 seconds before each use. Be sure the medicine is at room temperature and that there are no foreign objects inside the inhaler unit. Breathe out slowly and completely. UNLESS YOUR DOCTOR HAS TOLD YOU OTHERWISE, position the mouthpiece between your lips and try to rest your tongue flat. Your doctor may have told you to hold the inhaler 1 or 2 inches (2 or 3 centimeters) away from the open mouth or may have instructed you to use a special spacing device. As you start to take a slow deep breath, press the canister and mouthpiece together at exactly the same time to administer a dose of this medicine. Continue breathing in slowly and deeply and hold for as long as comfortable, then exhale slowly through pursed lips or through your nose. If more than 1 inhalation is to be used, wait 30 seconds and repeat the above process. KEEP THE SPRAY AWAY from your eyes. Place the cap over the mouthpiece of the inhaler after use. Rinse your mouth with water after using this medicine. Do NOT swallow the rinse solution. Spit the rinse water out. Clean the inhaler once a week according to the directions in the Medication Guide. Do NOT put this medicine in water to estimate how much medicine is left in the canister. This medicine is made to deliver 120 sprays. Keep track of how many times you use this medicine. Throw this medicine away after you have used 120 sprays, even if the canister is not empty. You may not get the right amount of medicine in each spray after you have used 120 sprays. You may breathe more easily after you use the first dose of this medicine. However, it may take 1 week or longer before you get the most benefit. STORE THIS MEDICINE at room temperature 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) away from heat, moisture, and light. Brief storage between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is permitted. Do not puncture, break, or burn the canister even if it appears to be empty. Use this medicine regularly to receive the most benefit from it. Using this medicine at the same times each day will help you to remember. CONTINUE TO USE THIS MEDICINE even if you feel well. Do not miss any doses. IF YOU MISS A DOSE OF THIS MEDICINE, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. DO NOT use 2 doses at once.

Cautions

DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICINE if you have had an allergic reaction to it or are allergic to any ingredient in this product. This medicine will not stop an asthma attack once it has already started. Be sure to carry a short-acting bronchodilator with you at all times to treat any breathing problems that may occur between doses of this medicine. If you have any questions about which medicines stop asthma attacks, check with your doctor or pharmacist. THIS MEDICINE MAY sometimes cause severe breathing problems right after you use a dose. When this occurs, it is often after the first use of a new canister. If this happens, use your short-acting bronchodilator inhaler. Seek medical care at once if your breathing does not improve after you use the short-acting bronchodilator. Tell your doctor about the reaction. TELL YOUR DOCTOR AT ONCE if you notice that your short-acting bronchodilator inhaler does not work as well, if you need to use it often (eg, more than 4 times a day for more than 2 days in a row), or if you have a decrease in your peak flow meter results. USE CAUTION IF YOU SWITCH from an oral steroid (eg, prednisone) to this medicine. It may take several months for your body to make enough natural steroids to handle events that cause physical stress. Such events may include injury, surgery, infection, loss of blood electrolytes, or a sudden asthma attack. These may be severe and sometimes fatal. Contact your doctor right away if any of these events occur. DO NOT STOP USING THIS MEDICINE without first checking with your doctor. DO NOT EXCEED THE RECOMMENDED DOSE or use this medicine for longer than prescribed without checking with your doctor. The risk of serious heart problems (such as irregular heartbeat) may be greater if you use this medicine in high doses. Laboratory and/or medical tests, including lung function tests and eye exams may be performed to monitor your progress or to check for side effects. KEEP ALL DOCTOR AND LABORATORY APPOINTMENTS while you are using this medicine. This medicine may cause dizziness. DO NOT DRIVE, OPERATE MACHINERY, OR DO ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS until you know how you react to this medicine. Using this medicine alone, with other medicines, or with alcohol may lessen your ability to drive or to perform other potentially dangerous tasks. BEFORE YOU BEGIN TAKING ANY NEW MEDICINE, either prescription or over-the-counter, check with your doctor or pharmacist. CAUTION IS ADVISED WHEN USING THIS MEDICINE IN CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY because they may be more sensitive to the effects of the medicine. CORTICOSTEROID MEDICINES MAY AFFECT growth rate in children and adolescents in some instances. Your child's growth should be checked regularly while using this medicine. FOR WOMEN: IF YOU PLAN ON BECOMING PREGNANT, discuss with your doctor the benefits and risks of using this medicine during pregnancy. IF YOU ARE OR WILL BE BREAST-FEEDING while you are using this medicine, check with your doctor or pharmacist to discuss the risks to your baby. IF YOU HAVE DIABETES, this medicine may affect your blood sugar. Check blood sugar levels closely and ask your doctor before adjusting the dose of your diabetes medicine.

Side Effects

SIDE EFFECTS that may occur while using this medicine include dizziness, headache, menstrual changes, nausea, nervousness, throat irritation, tremor, and vomiting. If they continue or are bothersome, check with your doctor. CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE if you experience signs of infection (eg, fever, chills, persistent headache/sore throat, ear pain). CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY if you experience behavior changes; blurred vision or other vision changes; bone pain; chest pain; choking; fast or irregular heartbeat; hoarseness; numbness or tingling in hands or feet; seizures; severe muscle weakness, cramps, or spasms; severe or persistent dizziness or headache; swelling or tightness in the throat; trouble sleeping; vaginal odor or discharge; weight gain; white patches or sores on the tongue or mouth; worsening of asthma symptoms (eg, increased wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath). An allergic reaction to this medicine is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include rash, itching, swelling, severe dizziness, or trouble breathing. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.

Active Ingredients

Salmeterol/Fluticasone