salmeterol (inhalation)

What is the most important information I should know about salmeterol inhalation?

What is salmeterol inhalation?

Salmeterol inhalation is a bronchodilator that is used to prevent asthma attacks or exercise-induced bronchospasm.

Salmeterol inhalation is also used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Salmeterol inhalation may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using salmeterol inhalation?

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• a food or drug allergy;
• heart disease or high blood pressure;
• epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
• diabetes;
• a thyroid disorder; or
• liver disease.

How should I use salmeterol inhalation?

Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Salmeterol may increase the risk of asthma-related death. Use the medicine exactly as directed.

Read and carefully follow any Instructions for Use provided with your medicine. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you do not understand these instructions.

If you use salmeterol inhalation for asthma, you must use it together with an inhaled steroid medicine for long-term asthma control. Use all asthma medications as directed. Your dose needs may change due to surgery, illness, stress, or a recent asthma attack. Do not change your dose or dosing schedule without your doctor's advice.

If you also use a steroid medication, you should not stop using it suddenly. Follow your doctor's instructions about tapering your dose.

Do not try to clean or take apart the Diskus device. Throw it away 6 weeks after you have taken it out of the foil pouch, or if the dose indicator shows a zero, whichever comes first. Each Diskus device contains 60 doses.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Skip the missed dose and use your next dose at the regular time. Do not use two doses at one time.

Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely.

What happens if I overdose?

What should I avoid while using salmeterol inhalation?

Do not exhale or blow into the Diskus device. Do not take the device apart or allow it to get wet.

Do not use a second form of salmeterol (such as Advair) or similar inhaled bronchodilator unless your doctor tells you to. This includes formoterol (Perforomist, Symbicort, Bevespi, Dulera), arformoterol (Brovana), indacaterol (Arcapta), olodaterol (Striverdi, Stiolto Respimat), or vilanterol (Anoro Ellipta, Breo Ellipta, Trelegy Ellipta).

What are the possible side effects of salmeterol inhalation?

• worsening asthma symptoms, or other breathing problems after using this medicine;
• severe headache, blurred vision, pounding in your neck or ears;
• chest pain, fast or irregular heartbeats;
• tremors, nervousness;
• high blood sugar --increased thirst, increased urination, dry mouth, fruity breath odor; or
• low potassium level --leg cramps, constipation, irregular heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, increased thirst or urination, numbness or tingling, muscle weakness or limp feeling.

Common side effects may include:

• headache;
• flu symptoms;
• joint or muscle pain;
• throat irritation, cough; or
• stuffy or runny nose.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect salmeterol inhalation?

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines. Many drugs can affect salmeterol, especially:

• nefazodone;
• an antibiotic --clarithromycin, telithromycin;
• antifungal medicine --itraconazole, ketoconazole;
• antiviral medicine to treat HIV/AIDS --indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir;
• heart or blood pressure medicine --such as a diuretic ("water pill"), or a beta-blocker (atenolol, carvedilol, labetalol, metoprolol, propranolol, sotalol, timolol, and others); or
• an MAO inhibitor --isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine, and others.

This list is not complete and many other drugs may affect salmeterol. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about salmeterol inhalation.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2023 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 14.01. Revision date: 10/3/2019.