From the Guidelines
Dulera is a prescription medication used to treat asthma in patients 5 years and older, containing mometasone furoate and formoterol fumarate, which reduce inflammation and relax airways, respectively. According to the most recent guidelines 1, Dulera is recommended for long-term control of persistent asthma, but not for acute asthma attacks. The medication comes in two strengths: 100/5 mcg and 200/5 mcg, typically prescribed as two inhalations twice daily.
- The mometasone in Dulera reduces inflammation in the airways, while formoterol helps relax and open the airways to improve breathing.
- Dulera is not intended to be the first medication tried for asthma and should not be used without an asthma action plan from a healthcare provider.
- Patients should rinse their mouth after each use to prevent thrush (a fungal infection).
- Side effects may include throat irritation, headache, and increased risk of respiratory infections.
- Dulera works by addressing both the inflammatory and bronchospasm components of asthma, providing comprehensive control of symptoms when used regularly as prescribed. The Expert Panel recommends ICS-formoterol in a single inhaler used as both daily controller and reliever therapy for individuals aged 4 years and older with moderate to severe persistent asthma 1.
- This recommendation is based on high certainty of evidence for ages greater than 12 years and moderate certainty of evidence for ages 4-11 years.
- The use of Dulera as a combination LABA/ICS is supported by the guidelines, which emphasize the importance of using LABAs only in combination with ICS therapy 1.
From the Research
Definition of Dulera
- Dulera is a combination medication containing mometasone furoate and formoterol fumarate dihydrate, used for the daily maintenance therapy of persistent asthma in patients aged 12 years and older 2.
- It is administered via a metered-dose inhaler with a dose counter.
Components of Dulera
- Mometasone furoate is a synthetic steroid with a strong affinity for the glucocorticoid receptor, low bioavailability, and high plasma protein binding 3.
- Formoterol fumarate is a full β2-agonist with a rapid onset and 12 hours of duration 3.
Uses and Benefits of Dulera
- Dulera is used to reduce asthma deteriorations, improve lung function, and enhance quality-of-life in patients with persistent asthma 2, 4.
- It has been shown to be effective in patients with asthma uncontrolled on medium- or high-dose inhaled corticosteroids 4.
- Maintenance therapy with Dulera has been found to reduce the risk of asthma exacerbations compared to stepping down to mometasone monotherapy 5.
Safety Profile of Dulera
- Dulera has been found to have a low incidence of local and systemic side effects in clinical safety studies lasting up to 1 year 2, 6.
- The most common treatment-related adverse events associated with Dulera are headache and dysphonia 6.
- Long-term treatment with Dulera has been found to be safe and well-tolerated in patients with persistent asthma 6, 4.