LATEST NEWS
LABA Safety Announcement
[By: John P. Dice, M.D.]
[2-24-2010] Once again, the asthma medications known as long-acting beta-agonists (LABA’s) are in the news. The FDA released a brief safety communication expressing concerns about possible safety issues with LABA’s in the treatment of asthma. The LABA’s on the market today are Serevent (salmeterol) and Foradil (formoterol). The agents are also found in the combination inhalers Advair and Symbicort (budesonide/formoterol).
It is important to realize that there has been no NEW information on these medications. The FDA is still reflecting on information from several years ago that showed a small and unclear risk from these medications. Further studies are ongoing to clarify any possible risk. Asthma specialists have reviewed this information over and over and the general consensus is that these medications are very safe when used properly. LABA’s should not be used by themselves to control chronic asthma! However, when added to an inhaled steroid they offer additional control for patients with more severe asthma.
The national asthma guidelines that are followed by almost all asthma specialists strongly recommend that mild asthma patients should be treated with inhaled steroids alone. LABA’s should be added to an inhaled steroid when asthma remains uncontrolled. In some cases of severe asthma, an inhaled steroid and LABA can be started first but this should be tapered down to an inhaled steroid alone if possible. These guidelines have been in place since BEFORE there was even a safety question about LABA’s!
Patients should always be on the SMALLEST amount of medication necessary to control their asthma!
In actual practice, many patients were being placed on the stronger medications and left on these indefinitely because they are so effective. We suspect that the FDA’s message was primarily aimed to stop this pattern of “overtreatment” in patients who might require much less medication.
If you are seeing as asthma specialist, it is likely that they are following the national guidelines and treating you appropriately. If you have been on a high level of asthma medicine for a long time with excellent control of your asthma, talk to your doctor about trying to lower your daily medication regimen.
Remember, our primary goal is always to keep you healthy!
[2-24-2010] Once again, the asthma medications known as long-acting beta-agonists (LABA’s) are in the news. The FDA released a brief safety communication expressing concerns about possible safety issues with LABA’s in the treatment of asthma. The LABA’s on the market today are Serevent (salmeterol) and Foradil (formoterol). The agents are also found in the combination inhalers Advair and Symbicort (budesonide/formoterol).
It is important to realize that there has been no NEW information on these medications. The FDA is still reflecting on information from several years ago that showed a small and unclear risk from these medications. Further studies are ongoing to clarify any possible risk. Asthma specialists have reviewed this information over and over and the general consensus is that these medications are very safe when used properly. LABA’s should not be used by themselves to control chronic asthma! However, when added to an inhaled steroid they offer additional control for patients with more severe asthma.
The national asthma guidelines that are followed by almost all asthma specialists strongly recommend that mild asthma patients should be treated with inhaled steroids alone. LABA’s should be added to an inhaled steroid when asthma remains uncontrolled. In some cases of severe asthma, an inhaled steroid and LABA can be started first but this should be tapered down to an inhaled steroid alone if possible. These guidelines have been in place since BEFORE there was even a safety question about LABA’s!
Patients should always be on the SMALLEST amount of medication necessary to control their asthma!
In actual practice, many patients were being placed on the stronger medications and left on these indefinitely because they are so effective. We suspect that the FDA’s message was primarily aimed to stop this pattern of “overtreatment” in patients who might require much less medication.
If you are seeing as asthma specialist, it is likely that they are following the national guidelines and treating you appropriately. If you have been on a high level of asthma medicine for a long time with excellent control of your asthma, talk to your doctor about trying to lower your daily medication regimen.
Remember, our primary goal is always to keep you healthy!