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Advair
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Advair is the fourth best-selling drug in the world, with over $5.6 billion in annual sales and more than 62 million prescriptions dispensed for the drug since its introduction. Advair is ... one of the most advertised drugs, with GlaxoSmithKline spending close to $200 million to market the medication each year. Despite the risks associated with Advair and Serevent, the FDA has urged patients not to quit taking the drugs or any asthma medication without first discussing it with their doctors. The FDA has also stressed that salmeterol is not a replacement for inhaled corticosteroids, and that those who use an asthma inhaler containing salmeterol should not reduce their dose of inhaled corticosteroids. Serevent and Advair should not be given to patients who are suffering from progressively worsening asthma and should not be used to treat acute symptoms of asthma.
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Advair is a newer inhaled medication that combines fluticasone and salmeterol to reduce both inflammation and airway constriction. For more information on these medications, please see the Asthma Treatment report. Some people cannot control the symptoms by avoiding the triggers or using medication. For these people, immunotherapy (allergy shots) may help. Immunotherapy involves the injection of allergen extracts to "desensitize" the person. The treatment begins with injections of a solution of allergen given one to five times a week, with the strength gradually increasing.
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The U. S. Food Drug Administration has warned that GlaxoSmithKline Plc's asthma drugs Serevent and Advair may have fatal side effects on children. In a report posted on the FDA's Web site Friday, the agency said at least five users of Serevent, one of Glaxo's biggest-selling medications, died while taking it in the 13 months after U. S. approved its use for children in 2006. Four others under the age of 16 were harmed.
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Do not use Advair to treat an asthma attack that has already begun. Use another, faster-acting inhalation medication to treat an asthma attack. Call your doctor right away if you feel that this medicine is not working as well as usual, or if it makes your condition worse. An increased need for medication could be an early sign of a serious asthma attack. If you use a peak flow meter at home, call your doctor if your numbers are lower than normal. Salmeterol has been shown to increase the risk of asthma-related death.
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Advair contains a long-acting beta2-adrenergic receptor agonist (LABA) drug called salmeterol. Salmeterol-based drugs are intended to treat the symptoms associated with asthma and COPD (wheezing, coughing and chest tightness) by causing bronchial dilation through the relaxation of smooth muscle in the airway passages. This relaxation is supposed to reduce the breathing difficulty associated with asthma. However, Salmetrol-based drugs have been linked with an increased risk of death resulting from a severe asthma attack. Salmetrol, as with other LABA types drugs such as Serevent, are known to promote, without warning, bronchial inflammation and sensitivity. It is this sudden, unexpected inflammation that leads to the severe and fatal asthma attacks.
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Advair is usually prescribed in the case of patients who are suffering from asthma, as it is highly efficient in preventing asthma attacks. This medicine is unable to stop an attack that has already been triggered, because its actions are not fast enough. This medicine is ... widely prescribed in the treatment of patients who are suffering from COPD (also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a disorder that is associated with another disease: chronic bronchitis. However, Seretide can also be prescribed to treat or to prevent some other medical conditions that have not been listed here. Ask your personal physician for more information.
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