Medication Used in the Management / Treatment of Asthma

Asthma is a respiratory disorder that damages your lungs. It causes wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and nocturnal or early morning coughing. Asthma can be managed by taking medication and avoiding triggers that can provoke an attack. You must also eliminate the irritants in your environment that can aggravate your asthma.

The CDC’s National Asthma Control Program strives to enhance the health and quality of life of Americans suffering from asthma. The program gives money to states, school programs, and non-governmental organizations to help them improve asthma surveillance, train health professionals, educate people with asthma and their families, and explain asthma to the general public.

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Goal of managing/treating asthma

The primary goals of asthma treatment are to improve symptom control and lower the likelihood of asthma exacerbations while minimizing drug side effects. A person with well-controlled asthma should be able to participate in work, school, play, and sports without restriction owing to respiratory problems. Patient education, the reduction of asthma triggers, monitoring for changes in symptoms or lung function, and pharmacologic therapy are the four main components of asthma management. 

 

Medication used in the treatment/management of asthma

FLOVENT is a prescription inhaled corticosteroid medicine for the long-term treatment of asthma in people aged 4 years and older. FLOVENT is not used to relieve sudden breathing problems and won’t replace a rescue inhaler. When used every day, inhaled Flovent (fluticasone) can lower the number and severity of asthma attacks, but it’s not a rescue inhaler and won’t help an asthma attack that has already started.

 

Mechanism of action

Fluticasone propionate affects the function of many cell types and inflammatory mediators via an unclear mechanism. In rats, fluticasone propionate stimulates glucocorticoid receptors while inhibiting lung eosinophilia.

Common side effects

• upper respiratory tract infection.
• Throat, nose, and/or sinus irritation
• nausea and vomiting.
• cough and/or persistent cough
• fever.
• headache.
• upset stomach.

Flovent (fluticasone) dosage forms

This drug is available in two formulations: Flovent Diskus and Flovent HFA.

Diskus Inhaler: 50mcg, 100mcg, 250mcg

Hfa Inhaler: 44mcg, 110mcg, 220mcg 

The Diskus version uses your own breath, whereas the Flovent HFA version uses a propellant to force the drug out of the inhaler and into your lungs. 

Flovent Diskus: For persons 12 years of age and older, the normal dose of Flovent Diskus is 1 puff or inhalation by mouth twice a day, 12 hours apart. The inhaler’s beginning dose is 100 mcg (micrograms). If you need additional support controlling your asthma, your healthcare professional may increase the dose after two weeks. The normal dose of Flovent (fluticasone) for children aged 4 to 11 years is 50 mcg, given as 1 puff or inhalation by mouth twice a day (12 hours apart). 

Flovent HFA: For people 4 years of age and older, the normal dose of Flovent HFA is two puffs or inhalations by mouth twice a day, 12 hours apart. The inhaler’s beginning dose is 88 mcg, and each puff contains 44 mcg, so you must take two puffs each time. If you need additional support controlling your asthma, your healthcare professional may increase the dose after two weeks.

Ensure to check Flovent inhaler coupon in order to save cost on refilling your prescription.