From the Guidelines
Symbicort is a highly effective medication for managing asthma, particularly for patients with moderate to severe persistent asthma not adequately controlled with inhaled corticosteroids alone. It combines budesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid, and formoterol, a long-acting beta-2 agonist, to reduce airway inflammation and relax bronchial smooth muscles, thereby improving breathing. According to the Formoterol and Corticosteroids Establishing Therapy (FACET) study 1, which was a 12-month trial involving 852 asthma patients, the combination of an inhaled corticosteroid (budesonide) and a long-acting beta-2 agonist (formoterol) is effective in controlling asthma symptoms and reducing exacerbation risk. Key points to consider when prescribing Symbicort include:
- Typical dosages range from 80/4.5 mcg to 160/4.5 mcg per inhalation, twice daily, depending on asthma severity
- Patients should rinse their mouth after use to prevent oral thrush, a potential side effect of the corticosteroid component
- Symbicort should not be used as a rescue medication for acute symptoms; patients should maintain a separate rescue inhaler (like albuterol) for sudden symptoms The dual-action mechanism of Symbicort makes it effective because it addresses both underlying inflammation and bronchoconstriction, providing better symptom control and reducing exacerbation risk compared to either medication used alone 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
Budesonide inhalation suspension is a long-term maintenance medicine used to control and prevent asthma symptoms in children ages 12 months to 8 years. Inhaled corticosteroids help to decrease inflammation in the lungs. Inflammation in the lungs can lead to asthma symptoms Budesonide inhalation suspension helps reduce swelling and inflammation in the lungs, and helps keep the airways open to reduce asthma symptoms.
Symbicort (budesonide and formoterol) is not directly mentioned in the provided drug labels, but budesonide is a component of Symbicort.
- Budesonide is used to control and prevent asthma symptoms.
- It is a long-term maintenance medicine, not for sudden symptoms of asthma.
- Budesonide helps reduce swelling and inflammation in the lungs.
- The provided drug labels do not discuss the specific role of Symbicort (budesonide and formoterol) in managing asthma, but they do describe the role of budesonide in asthma management 2, 2, 2.
From the Research
Role of Symbicort in Managing Asthma
Symbicort, a combination of budesonide and formoterol, plays a significant role in managing asthma. The key benefits of Symbicort include:
- Effective control of asthma symptoms 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
- Reduction in airway inflammation and bronchial hyper-responsiveness 5
- Improvement in peak expiratory flow (PEF) and symptom control 4, 6
- Prevention of mild exacerbations 4, 6
Efficacy of Symbicort
Studies have shown that Symbicort is:
- More effective than budesonide alone or high-dose fluticasone propionate alone in improving PEF and symptom control 4, 6
- As effective as concurrent therapy with equivalent dosages of budesonide and formoterol administered via separate inhalers 4, 6
- Effective in reducing the risk of severe asthma exacerbations when used as maintenance and reliever therapy 7
Safety and Tolerability
Symbicort has been shown to be:
- Well tolerated with an incidence of adverse events similar to that with conventional regimens 4, 6, 7
- Safe for use in patients with persistent asthma, with no unexpected pattern of abnormalities 4
Convenience and Adherence
The use of Symbicort offers:
- The convenience of a single inhaler for both daily maintenance therapy and as-needed relief of breakthrough symptoms 7
- Simplified treatment by providing immediate additional anti-inflammatory medication in response to asthma symptoms and immediate step-down when symptoms abate 7
- Potential for improved compliance due to the convenience of a single inhaler 6