What is Serevent?
Serevent is a long-acting β2-adrenoreceptor selective agonist. The active substance is Salmeterol. This ingredient causes long-term (up to 12 hours) enlargement of the bronchi in patients with reverse airway obstruction. Regular use of the drug provides a persistent improvement in the functioning of the lungs, reducing the severity of airway obstruction syndrome and nighttime seizures of bronchial asthma. Salmeterol is a potent and long-lasting inhibitor of mast cell release of mediators such as histamine, leukotrienes and prostaglandin D2. In humans, salmeterol suppresses early and late bronchial reactivity. Indications for use include bronchial asthma, including the prevention of bronchospasm caused by exercise; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic obstructive bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema.
How to use Serevent?
To make inhalation, follow a few steps.
Remove the cap by pushing it from the sides. Shake the inhaler well and spray several times into the air to make sure it is working.
- Take the maximum breath. Embrace the mouthpiece of the aerosol with your lips without biting it. At the same time, inhale through the mouth and press the tip of the inhaler. Continue breathing slowly and deeply;
- Take the inhaler out of your mouth, hold your breath as much as possible;
- Cap the bottle until it clicks.
Important! One push of the inhaler corresponds to a single dose of the drug. If you need to re-spray – wait 30 seconds, holding the inhaler vertically, and then repeat the procedure, starting with the second item.
Inhaler must be cleaned at least once a week. To do this, remove the cap and wipe it with a dry cloth on top and inside. Do not remove the metal can from the plastic case or place it in water.
Dosage
The dosed aerosol is indicated for inhalation only. To achieve an optimal therapeutic effect, the inhaler should be used regularly.
- Adults: Treatment of bronchial asthma and COPD. Recommended dose: two inhalations (2 x 25 mcg of salmeterol) twice a day. The maximum dose (with more severe airway obstruction in patients with asthma): 4 inhalations (4 x 25 mcg salmeterol) twice a day. The drug can be used through a spacer;
- Children aged 4 and older: Recommended dose: two inhalations (2 x 25 mcg of salmeterol) twice a day. The drug can be used through a spacer.
There is no need to adjust the dose of salmeterol in elderly patients and in patients with impaired renal function.
In patients with bronchial asthma, the drug starts working 10–20 minutes after inhalation. The full therapeutic effect occurs after the introduction of the first few doses. The action of salmeterol usually lasts for about 12 hours. This is especially useful for treating patients with nighttime bouts of bronchospasm and to prevent attacks caused by physical exertion.
In order to relieve symptoms, additional doses of Serevent should not be inhaled. In this case, short-acting b2-adrenoreceptor agonists are recommended.
The dose or frequency of salmeterol should be increased only on the recommendation of a physician.
Overdose
Symptoms of an overdose include tremor, headache, and tachycardia. Preferred antidotes for an overdose of salmeterol are the b-adrenoceptor cardioselective blockers (atenolol). Cardioselective b-adrenoreceptor blockers should be used with caution in patients with a history of bronchospasm.
Side effects
In some cases, Serevent can cause side effects, such as:
- headache, palpitations;
- cardiac arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia and extrasystole) – in predisposed patients;
- change in taste, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, irritation of the mucous membranes of the mouth or throat;
- urticaria, angioedema, bronchospasm;
- tremor, muscle cramps, arthralgia, hypokalemia, nervousness.
Contraindications
Serevent inhaler is contraindicated for use in children up to 4 years; with hypersensitivity to salmeterol and other components of the drug.
The drug should be used with caution in thyrotoxicosis, arrhythmias, coronary heart disease (angina III-IV functional class), acute myocardial infarction, uncontrolled hypertension, hypoxia of various origins, pheochromocytoma, pregnancy, lactation.
Interactions
Patients who use Serevent against the background of reversible airway obstruction should avoid using both non-selective (propranolol) and selective (atenolol) β-adrenoreceptor blockers unless there is a compelling reason for their use.
Special instructions
Use of Serevent during pregnancy and breastfeeding is not recommended unless the expected benefit to the mother outweighs the potential risk to the fetus or baby. The medication should not be prescribed for marked worsening of the course or exacerbation of bronchial asthma.
If your asthma exacerbates or you suffer from hypoxia, it is necessary to control the concentration of potassium in the blood plasma.
With the regular use of salmeterol, in most patients, the need for additional use of short-acting beta-adrenomimetics is reduced.
The therapeutic effect of the drug may decrease when the inhaler is cooled.
Before you buy Serevent inhaler, you need to consult your doctor. Self-treatment is dangerous for your health. Caution should be exercised when the inhaler is used by patients with thyrotoxicosis.
There are no data about the possible influence of Serevent on driving and performance of work requiring special attention and quick reaction.
Sudden and progressive worsening of bronchial asthma can pose a threat to the patient’s life, therefore in such situations, it is necessary to urgently decide on use or increase in the dose of glucocorticosteroids (GCS). In such patients, daily peak expiratory flow rate monitoring is recommended.
Bronchodilators should not be the sole or main component of the therapy of unstable or severe asthma. In such cases, you should consult a doctor about the use of GCS in the form of tablets and/or inhalation GCS in the maximum recommended doses.