What is the name of the formoterol inhaler for asthma that contains a steroid?

Formoterol Inhalers with Steroids for Asthma

Symbicort (budesonide/formoterol) is the primary formoterol-containing inhaler that includes a steroid component for asthma management. 1

Formoterol-Steroid Combination Products

Symbicort combines two essential medications for asthma management:

• Budesonide: An inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) that treats underlying airway inflammation
• Formoterol: A rapid- and long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA) that prevents and reverses airway obstruction 2

This combination provides complementary effects by addressing both major components of asthma pathophysiology:

• Inflammation (steroid component)
• Bronchoconstriction (formoterol component)

Dosage Forms and Strengths

Symbicort is available in:

• Turbuhaler (dry powder inhaler) in many countries outside the USA 2
• Pressurized metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) in the USA 3
• Standard strengths for adults and children ≥12 years: 80/4.5 mcg or 160/4.5 mcg (2 inhalations twice daily) 1

Clinical Efficacy

Symbicort has demonstrated superior efficacy compared to:

• Higher-dose corticosteroid monotherapy 2, 4
• Individual components administered via separate inhalers 2, 3

Key benefits include:

• Rapid onset of action (apparent within 1 minute of treatment) 4
• Long duration of effect allowing twice-daily dosing 2, 4
• Reduction in both moderate and severe exacerbations 5, 1
• Improved patient adherence due to convenience of a single inhaler 2

Role in Asthma Management

According to current guidelines, Symbicort is positioned as:

• A preferred treatment for moderate to severe persistent asthma (Steps 3-4 in the stepwise approach) 1
• An alternative to increasing the dose of inhaled corticosteroids when asthma is not adequately controlled on ICS alone 5

Unique Administration Approaches

Symbicort can be used in different dosing strategies:

1. Fixed dosing: Standard twice-daily maintenance dosing
2. Adjustable maintenance dosing: Allows dose adjustments based on symptom control, resulting in equivalent control with lower overall medication use 3, 4
3. SMART therapy (Symbicort Maintenance And Reliever Therapy): Using the same inhaler for both maintenance and as-needed relief 6, 7

Important Cautions

• Formoterol should never be used as monotherapy for asthma due to increased risk of asthma-related death 1
• Patients should rinse their mouth after use to prevent localized Candida infections 1
• Not recommended for children under 6 years of age 1

Clinical Pearls

• The combination of budesonide and formoterol may have synergistic effects when administered in a single inhaler 4
• The rapid onset of formoterol makes this combination particularly beneficial for patients who need quick symptom relief 2, 4
• For children aged 6-11 years, dosage should be determined by the treating physician as studies with the pMDI formulation are limited for this age group 1

Symbicort represents an effective approach to asthma management by combining anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator effects in a single convenient device, improving both symptom control and patient adherence.