Symbicort (Budesonide-Formoterol Fumarate)

Alternate Name: Breyna 80/4.5

Dosage Form: Inhaler

Administration Route: By breathing

Drug Class: Antiasthma, Anti-Inflammatory/Bronchodilator Combination, Respiratory Agent, Antiasthma

Generic Available: Yes

Strength: 160-4.5 MCG/ACT

Warnings: Patients with COPD may be more likely to have pneumonia when taking this medicine. Check with your doctor if you start having an increased sputum (spit) production, change in sputum color, fever, chills, increased cough, or an increase in breathing problems. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have blurred vision, difficulty with reading, or any other change in vision while using this medicine. Your doctor may want you to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor). Be sure to keep all appointments. Your doctor will check your progress and the effects of this medicine at regular visits. Keep all appointments. Your doctor may want you to carry a medical identification (ID) card stating that you are using this medicine. The card will say that you or your child may need additional medicine during an emergency, a severe asthma attack or other illness, or unusual stress. This medicine may cause paradoxical bronchospasm, which means your breathing or wheezing will get worse. Paradoxical bronchospasm may be life-threatening. Stop using this medicine and check with your doctor right away if you have coughing, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, or wheezing after using this medicine. This medicine may cause children to grow more slowly than usual. Talk to your child's doctor if you have any concerns. Using too much of this medicine or using it for a long time may increase your risk of having adrenal gland problems. Talk to your doctor if you have more than one of these symptoms while you are using this medicine: darkening of the skin; diarrhea; dizziness; fainting; loss of appetite; mental depression; nausea; skin rash; unusual tiredness or weakness; or vomiting. This medicine may affect blood sugar and potassium levels. If you have heart disease or are diabetic and notice a change in the results of your blood or urine sugar or potassium tests, check with your doctor. This medicine may decrease bone mineral density when used for a long time. A low bone mineral density can cause weak bones or osteoporosis. If you have any questions about this, ask your doctor. Tell your doctor if you are also using any other medicine for your COPD. Your doctor may want you to use your other medicine only during a severe COPD attack. This medicine may cause the following problems:Increased risk of asthma-related hospital stays, intubations, and deathIncreased risk of infection, including fungus infection in the mouth (thrush)Increased risk of pneumonia in people who have COPDAdrenal gland problemsParadoxical bronchospasm (trouble breathing right after use), which can be life-threateningHeart rhythm problemsLow bone mineral density, which may lead to osteoporosisSlow growth in childrenGlaucoma or cataractsHigh blood sugar levels Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have liver disease, heart or blood vessel disease, heart rhythm problems, high blood pressure, seizures, thyroid problems, diabetes, any kind of infection (including tuberculosis or herpes infection of the eye), thyroid problems, eye problems (including cataracts or glaucoma), if you have a weak immune system, or a history of osteoporosis. Tell your doctor if you have ever been exposed to chickenpox or measles. You may need to use this medicine for 1 to 2 weeks before your asthma starts to get better. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or if they get worse. Do not use this medicine for a sudden COPD attack, or if symptoms of a COPD attack has already started. Make sure you always have your rescue medicine with you to treat sudden symptoms. Tell your doctor right away if your condition gets worse or you need to use your other medicine more often than usual. Inhalation routeIf any of your asthma medicines do not seem to be working as well as usual, call your doctor right away. Do not change your doses or stop using your medicines without asking your doctor. Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone. Your doctor will do lab tests at regular visits to check on the effects of this medicine. Keep all appointments. If you or your child develop a skin rash, hives, or any allergic reaction to this medicine, stop using the medicine and check with your doctor as soon as possible.

Food Warnings: Your doctor will check your progress and the effects of this medicine at regular visits. Keep all appointments., Your doctor may want you to carry a medical identification (ID) card stating that you are using this medicine. The card will say that you or your child may need additional medicine during an emergency, a severe asthma attack or other illness, or unusual stress., This medicine may affect blood sugar and potassium levels. If you have heart disease or are diabetic and notice a change in the results of your blood or urine sugar or potassium tests, check with your doctor., Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have blurred vision, difficulty with reading, or any other change in vision while using this medicine. Your doctor may want you to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor). Be sure to keep all appointments., This medicine may cause children to grow more slowly than usual. Talk to your child's doctor if you have any concerns., This medicine may cause paradoxical bronchospasm, which means your breathing or wheezing will get worse. Paradoxical bronchospasm may be life-threatening. Stop using this medicine and check with your doctor right away if you have coughing, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, or wheezing after using this medicine., This medicine may decrease bone mineral density when used for a long time. A low bone mineral density can cause weak bones or osteoporosis. If you have any questions about this, ask your doctor., Using too much of this medicine or using it for a long time may increase your risk of having adrenal gland problems. Talk to your doctor if you have more than one of these symptoms while you are using this medicine: darkening of the skin; diarrhea; dizziness; fainting; loss of appetite; mental depression; nausea; skin rash; unusual tiredness or weakness; or vomiting., If you or your child develop a skin rash, hives, or any allergic reaction to this medicine, stop using the medicine and check with your doctor as soon as possible., Patients with COPD may be more likely to have pneumonia when taking this medicine. Check with your doctor if you start having an increased sputum (spit) production, change in sputum color, fever, chills, increased cough, or an increase in breathing problems., Do not use this medicine together with other inhaled medicines, including arformoterol, formoterol, indacaterol, olodaterol, salmeterol, or vilanterol., Some medicines can affect how budesonide/formoterol works. Tell your doctor if you are using any of the following:Atropine, nefazodoneBeta-blocker medicineDiuretic (water pill)Medicine that may cause heart rhythm problemsMedicine to treat depression (including an MAO inhibitor, TCAs)Medicine to treat HIV or AIDS (including atazanavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir)Medicine to treat infection (including clarithromycin, erythromycin, itraconazole, ketoconazole, telithromycin)Steroid medicine, This should not be the first and only medicine you use for asthma or COPD. This medicine will not stop an asthma attack that has already started. Your doctor may prescribe another medicine for you to use in case of an acute asthma attack or an acute COPD flare-up. If the other medicine does not work as well, tell your doctor right away., Take all of your COPD medicines as your doctor ordered. If you use any type of corticosteroid medicine to control your breathing, keep using it as ordered by your doctor. Do not change your doses or stop using your medicines without asking your doctor., Do not use any other asthma medicine or medicine for breathing problems without talking to your doctor. This medicine should not be used with arformoterol, formoterol, salmeterol, Brovana®, Perforomist„¢, or Serevent® inhalers., Inhalation routeIf any of your asthma medicines do not seem to be working as well as usual, call your doctor right away. Do not change your doses or stop using your medicines without asking your doctor., Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or if they get worse., You may get infections more easily while using this medicine. Avoid people who are sick or have infections. Tell your doctor right away if you have been exposed to someone with chickenpox or measles., This medicine may cause a fungus infection of the mouth or throat (thrush). Tell your doctor right away if you have white patches in the mouth or throat; or pain when eating or swallowing.