From the Guidelines
Symbacort should be used as a maintenance therapy for patients with stable moderate to very severe COPD, with a recommended dosage of two inhalations of the 160/4.5 mcg strength twice daily, as it has been shown to reduce the risk of acute exacerbations of COPD and improve health-related quality of life 1. For asthma patients, the recommended dosage is usually two inhalations twice daily (morning and evening), with the 80/4.5 mcg or 160/4.5 mcg strength depending on asthma severity. The medication works through two mechanisms: budesonide reduces airway inflammation while formoterol relaxes airway muscles to improve breathing. Improvement may begin within minutes due to formoterol, but the full anti-inflammatory benefits of budesonide may take 1-2 weeks to develop. Patients should rinse their mouth after each use to prevent oral thrush, a common side effect of inhaled corticosteroids. Symbacort should be used regularly as prescribed, not as a rescue medication for sudden symptoms. Patients should not abruptly stop using Symbacort without medical guidance, as symptoms may worsen with sudden discontinuation. The use of Symbacort is supported by guidelines that recommend maintenance combination inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting b-agonist therapy for patients with stable moderate to very severe COPD, as it has been shown to prevent acute exacerbations of COPD and improve health-related quality of life 1. Key points to consider when prescribing Symbacort include:
- Reducing the risk of acute exacerbations of COPD
- Improving health-related quality of life
- Reducing dyspnea
- Less rescue medication use
- Improving lung function
- Risks and consequences of oral candidiasis, upper respiratory tract infections, and pneumonia.
From the FDA Drug Label
BUDESONIDE AND FORMOTEROL FUMARATE DIHYDRATE INHALATION AEROSOL should be administered as 2 inhalations twice daily (morning and evening, approximately 12 hours apart), every day by the orally inhaled route only. The recommended starting dosages for BUDESONIDE AND FORMOTEROL FUMARATE DIHYDRATE INHALATION AEROSOL for patients 12 years of age and older are based upon patients' asthma severity or level of control of asthma symptoms, and risk of exacerbations on current inhaled corticosteroids The maximum recommended dosage in adult and adolescent patients 12 years and older is BUDESONIDE AND FORMOTEROL FUMARATE DIHYDRATE INHALATION AEROSOL 160/4.5.
The recommended usage of Symbacort (budesonide and formoterol) for patients with asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is:
- 2 inhalations twice daily (morning and evening, approximately 12 hours apart) for patients 6 years of age and older with asthma
- BUDESONIDE AND FORMOTEROL FUMARATE DIHYDRATE INHALATION AEROSOL 160/4.5 is the only strength indicated for the treatment of COPD
- The dosage is based on the patient's asthma severity or level of control of asthma symptoms and risk of exacerbations on current inhaled corticosteroids 2
From the Research
Symbacort Usage
The recommended usage of Symbacort (budesonide and formoterol) for patients with asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is as follows:
- For asthma, Symbacort is used as a long-term maintenance treatment to control symptoms and prevent exacerbations 3, 4, 5.
- For COPD, Symbacort is used to improve lung function and reduce symptoms such as breathlessness 3, 6.
- The typical dosage of Symbacort is 2 inhalations twice daily, with a maximum dose of 640/18 μg twice daily 5.
- Symbacort can be used in combination with other medications, such as short-acting beta2-agonists, to provide additional relief from symptoms 4, 7.
Benefits of Symbacort
The benefits of using Symbacort include:
- Improved asthma control and reduced exacerbations 3, 4, 5
- Improved lung function and reduced symptoms in COPD patients 3, 6
- Reduced risk of asthma-related hospital admissions and emergency department visits 7
- Improved quality of life and reduced symptoms in patients with mild asthma 7
Safety and Tolerability
Symbacort is generally well-tolerated, with common side effects including:
- Oral candidiasis
- Hoarseness
- Dysphonia
- Systemic side effects, such as easy bruising and reduction in growth velocity or bone mineral densitometry, are usually restricted to doses above maximally recommended doses 3
- The safety profile of Symbacort is similar to that of budesonide, with no unexpected pattern of abnormalities 5