Asthma Treatment Options for My Child

There are two main categories of asthma medicine

Rescue (quick-relief) medicines provide fast relief from common symptoms of asthma attacks. These medicines are usually delivered through inhalers or nebulizers, but some can also be delivered in oral form, either liquid or pill.

Rescue medicines should be used to control sudden symptoms but are NOT meant to be used everyday.

Some examples of rescue medicines include:

  • albuterol
  • Atrovent® (ipratropium bromide)*
  • Brethine® (terbutaline)*
  • Maxair™ (pirbuterol acetate)*
  • Proventil® (albuterol sulfate)*
  • Ventolin® HFA (albuterol sulfate HFA inhalation aerosol)*
  • Xopenex® (levalbuterol HCl)*

Controller (preventive or maintenance) medicines, when used as prescribed, prevent asthma symptoms and attacks on an ongoing basis. They are not intended to provide quick relief from sudden symptoms.

Controller medicines should NOT be used to treat sudden symptoms.

Some controller medicines like Pulmicort Respules are designed to prevent the underlying inflammation in your child’s lungs.

Examples of some commonly prescribed controller medicines include:

  • Accolate® (zafirlukast)
  • Advair Diskus® (fluticasone propionate and salmeterol inhalation powder) - combined with inhaled corticosteroid
  • AeroBid® (flunisolide)*
  • Asmanex® (mometasone furoate inhalation powder)*
  • Azmacort® (triamcinolone acetonide)*
  • Flovent® (fluticasone propionate)*
  • Foradil® (formoterol fumarate inhalation powder)*
  • Intal® (cromolyn sodium)*
  • Pulmicort Respules® (budesonide inhalation suspension)
  • Pulmicort Turbuhaler/Flexhaler® (budesonide inhalation powder)
  • QVAR® (beclomethasone)*
  • Serevent® (salmeterol inhalation powder)*
  • Singulair® (montelukast sodium)*
  • Symbicort® (budesonide/formoterol fumarate dihydrate) Inhalation Aerosol
  • Theolair® (theophylline)*
  • Tilade® (nedocromil sodium)*
  • Xolair® (omalizumab)*

If your child's doctor has decided to prescribe a hand-held device to deliver asthma control medicine, you should know that PULMICORT TURBUHALER/FLEXHALER® (budesonide inhalation powder) delivers the same proven medicine (budesonide) as PULMICORT RESPULES through a compact, dry powder, hand-held device and may be suitable for children over the age of 8 years. Talk to your child's doctor to see if PULMICORT TURBUHALER/FLEXHALER might be the appropriate next step for your child.

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Important Safety Information about PULMICORT TURBUHALER/FLEXHALER

  • PULMICORT TURBUHALER/FLEXHALER is used for the maintenance treatment of asthma in adults and children 6 years of age and older.
  • PULMICORT TURBUHALER/FLEXHALER is not a bronchodilator and should not be used to treat acute, or sudden, asthma attacks.
  • If you are switching to PULMICORT TURBUHALER/FLEXHALER from an oral corticosteroid, follow your health care professional's instructions to avoid health risks associated with stopping the use of oral corticosteroids.
  • Common side effects reported in clinical trials include respiratory infection, headache, thrush in the mouth, sore throat, hoarseness, and sinusitis.

Click here for full Prescribing Information for PULMICORT TURBUHALER.

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*Advair, AeroBid, Albuterol, Atrovent, Azmacort, beclomethasone, bitolterol, cromolyn, Flovent, Foradil, Maxair, nedocromil, QVAR, Serevent, Singulair, theophylline, Xopenex, and Zyflo are trademarks of their respective owners and are not trademarks of the AstraZeneca group of companies. The makers of these brands are not affiliated with and do not endorse AstraZeneca or its products.

PULMICORT RESPULES is developed and approved specifically for children 12 months to 8 years of age, to help prevent asthma symptoms that could lead to an attack. PULMICORT RESPULES, an inhaled corticosteroid, is not a quick-relief medication and should NOT be used to treat an acute (sudden) asthma attack.

Important Safety Information you should know

PULMICORT RESPULES, an inhaled corticosteroid, is not a quick-relief medication and should NOT be used to treat an acute asthma attack. In studies, side effects included respiratory infection, runny nose, earache, and coughing. Inhaled corticosteroids may cause a reduction in growth rate. The long-term effect on final adult height is unknown. If switching to PULMICORT RESPULES from an oral (syrup or pill) corticosteroid, follow the doctor's instructions to help avoid health risks. Tell the doctor if your child is exposed to chicken pox or measles.

Click here for full Prescribing Information.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

References

  1. National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Clinical Practice Guidelines: Expert Panel Report 2: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma, published by the National Institutes of Health, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 1997; NIH Publication No. 97-4051.