Symbicort Turbuhaler for Asthma

Symbicort combines a corticosteroid medicine, budesonide, and a long-lasting beta 2 agonist medicine (LABA) formoterol. It is used long-term, twice daily, every day to control asthma symptoms and prevent symptoms such as wheezing in patients twelve years of age and older.

Asthma

Symbicort Turbuhaler is a prescription treatment for asthma in patients twelve and older with reversible obstructive airway disease. It can be used according to three different treatment approaches:

1. Anti-reliever therapy: In patients who have mild persistent asthma, Symbicort is used as per requirement for relieving asthma symptoms when they occur. Symbicort should not be considered in patients whose asthma symptoms can be controlled by occasional use of a rapid onset, short duration, inhaled beta 2 agonist.  

1. Anti-inflammatory reliever plus maintenance therapy: In patients with moderate or severe asthma, Symbicort is taken as daily maintenance therapy and as required for relieving asthma symptoms.

1. Maintenance therapy: Individuals with moderate or severe asthma use it as a fixed dose daily treatment along with a separate short-acting bronchodilator for relieving symptoms when they occur.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Symbicort Turbuhaler can also be prescribed as the maintenance treatment for moderate to severe COPD, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, in individuals with persistent symptoms and a history of worsening, where combination medicine is considered appropriate. The medicine is not indicated for relieving acute bronchospasm in patients with COPD.

Use of Symbicort Turbuhaler

Always use Symbicort exactly as prescribed by the doctor. If you have been advised to use it daily, it is important to use an inhaler, even without the symptoms. If you have been prescribed steroid tablets for your asthma symptoms or COPD, your healthcare professional may reduce the number of tablets that you take once you begin to use Symbicort turbuhalar 160mcg. If you have been using oral steroid tablets for longer, your healthcare professional may want to perform blood tests occasionally. When reducing the dose of oral steroids, the patient may feel generally unwell even though the asthma symptoms are improving. The patient might develop symptoms such as runny nose, joint weakness, rash, and muscle pain. If any symptoms become troublesome or symptoms such as nausea, tiredness, headache, or vomiting occur, seek immediate medical help.

Dosing and discontinuation

Asthma management should normally involve a stepwise program, and patient response should be closely monitored under clinical guidance. It is recommended to use the lowest effective dose of Symbicort. Patients should take Symbicort Turbuhaler maintenance dose as prescribed, even without symptoms. Such patients are always advised to have their rescue inhaler, Symbicort for asthma patients on anti-inflammatory reliever therapy, or a separate short-acting bronchodilator.

Patients who are advised to use Symbicort as an anti-inflammatory reliever should use it in response to asthma symptoms and to prevent allergen-or- or exercise-induced bronchoconstriction to achieve control over asthma symptoms. Consult your healthcare provider if the treatment appears ineffective or exceeds the prescribed dose. After achieving gain over asthma symptoms, your healthcare care professional may consider reducing the dose. Complete withdrawal of inhaled corticosteroid should not be considered.  

No dose adjustment is needed in patients 65 years of age and older. In the treatment of asthma, safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients younger than twelve years have not been established. In treating COPD, safety and effectiveness in patients younger than eighteen years have not been established.   

Usage instructions

A turbuhaler is a plastic device containing dry powdered medicine. It is breath-activated, meaning the turbuhaler automatically releases the medicine when you inhale. Appropriate usage may allow the turbuhaler to deliver medicine deep into your lungs.

1. Remove the cover and hold the Turbuhaler straight while turning the colored wheel one way and back the other way until you hear a clicking sound. It is now filled with a new dose.  
2. Breathe out normally.  
3. Keep the mouthpiece between your lips and tilt your head back slightly.
4. Breathe in forcefully.
5. Hold your breath for as long as you can
6. Remove the device from your mouth and breathe out.
7. If you have been advised to take another dose, repeat the steps 2 to 4.
8. Since your medicine is a corticosteroid, rinse your mouth with water, then split it. This helps to prevent yeast infection (thrush) in your mouth and hoarseness in your throat.  

Clean mouthpiece two or three times per week. With the help of a dry cloth, wipe away any particles that have collected on and around the mouthpiece. Avoid washing the mouthpiece.  

Interactions with this medicine

As with most medicines, interactions with other drugs can happen. Therefore, it is important to inform your healthcare provider of all your medicines, including prescription or non-prescription medicines, including minerals, vitamins, natural supplements, or alternative medicines. Drugs that may interact with Symbicort 160 mcg are beta blockers to lower blood pressure, medicines for fungal infections, Ritonavir to treat HIV/AIDs, diuretics to lower blood pressure, and antidepressants to treat depression.