How to Recognize Safety issues of Controller Asthma Medication

Asthma is life threatening, causing chronic restriction of the airways making it difficult to breathe. Asthma attacks can be set off by hair, dust, pet dander, smoking, and upper respiratory difficulties, and many other things depending on how sensitive you are. When this happen you feel tightness in your chest and have difficulty breathing, you may also experience coughing, and wheezing.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. There are two types of drugs for asthma
   1. Quick Relief medications for immediate relief
   2. Long Acting medications to prevent symptoms of Asthma
   The FDA (Food & Drug Administration) has recently presented awareness and safety concerns for many asthma drugs.

2. Patients taking Spiriva and Foradil are not to swallow the tablets they are to be used in the inhalation devices only. These drugs are for prescribed for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients to prevent wheezing and other breathing problems.

3. Singulair (montelukast sodium) prescribed for allergy symptoms. It has been associated severe mood changes, and suicide. Marketing has been updated to include tremors, depression, suicidal thinking and behavior (including suicide).

4. Bronchodilators also called Long-Acting Beta Agonists (LABAs) are used to open up the airways to make breathing easier. Severe asthma is controlled with a steroid inhaler. Some examples of LABAs Advair Diskus, Advair HFA, Brovana,Foradil Aerolizer,Perforomist,Serevent Diskus,and Symbicort. Warning include that they may increase asthma symptoms sometimes leading to death.

5. Xolair is for moderate asthma allergies not controlled with corticosteroids. Using xolair can lead to Anaphylaxis, which causes difficult breathing problems including chest tightness, dizziness, fainting, itching, hives, and swelling of the mouth and throat.

6. It is important to read the warnings on the box, even for prescription medication. Doctors don’t always tell you of the different side effects. Check with your pharmacy technician. It is important to know what side effects can be caused by the medications that you are taking. Also check for the interactions that are caused by medications you are taking in connection with asthma prescribed medications.

Tips & Warnings

• Check box for label warning before taking medications
• Check for different side effects

Resources

• http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.php
• http://www.rxlist.com/script/main/hp.asp

[deepthinkin]

on 1/15/2009 Number 6 is important for all medications and so true about doctors not knowing or telling of all prescription side effects. Thanks for posting this article.

[lisaha75]

on 1/15/2009 good life saving info on asthma medicine for people.

[Scarlett9284]

on 1/15/2009 Very well written and informative article on the safety issues of controller asthma medication! 5*

[From-the-Heart]

on 1/15/2009 Wonderful article on recognizing safety issues of controller asthma medication !

[RachelB]

on 1/15/2009 Thank you! This is absolutely crucial advice for parents.