Advair Discus

Advair Discus (Fluticasone/Salmeterol) is used for long-term prevention and treatment of asthma and chronic lung diseases.

Drug Name

Advair Discus (Fluticasone/Salmeterol)

Drug Uses

Advair Diskus is used for long-term prevention and treatment of asthma and chronic lung diseases.

How Taken

Use Advair Diskus as directed by your doctor.

Always activate and use this device in a level, horizontal position. Do not breathe into the inhaler. Do not use a spacer. Gargle and rinse your mouth with water after using Advair Diskus to prevent dryness and mouth infections and relieve throat irritation. Do not swallow the rinse solution.

If you are using other inhalers, wait a few minutes between using Advair Diskus and other inhalers, unless directed otherwise by your doctor.

Advair Diskus delivers your dose as a very fine powder that most, but not all, patients can taste or feel. Whether you are able to taste or feel your dose of medicine, you should not take more than the recommended dose of 1 inhalation each morning and evening (approximately 12 hours apart). If you are not sure if you are receiving your dose, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

You may breathe more easily after the first dose of Advair Diskus . It may take 1 week or longer to achieve the most benefit. It is important that you use Advair Diskus regularly. Do not stop treatment even if you are feeling better unless your doctor tells you to do so.

Never wash the mouthpiece or any other part of the inhaler. Keep it dry and always keep it in a dry place.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Advair Diskus.

Drug Class and Mechanism

Advair Diskus improves lung function and makes breathing easier by reducing airway swelling and irritation and by causing muscle relaxation.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of Advair Diskus , skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not use 2 doses at once.

Storage

Store Advair Diskus at room temperature, between 68 and 77 degrees F (20 and 25 degrees C), in a dry place. Store away from direct heat and sunlight, moisture, and light. The inhalation device is not reusable and should be discarded 1 month after removal from the moisture-protective foil overwrap pouch or after all blisters have been used, whichever comes first.

Warnings/Precautions

Do not use Advair Diskus if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Advair Diskus;
• you are having sudden symptoms of shortness of breath (eg, sudden severe onset or worsening of wheezing, cough, chest tightness).

Important:

Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.

Advair Diskus will not stop an asthma attack once one has started. If you are also using another inhaler for asthma attacks, be sure to carry it with you at all times for use during an asthma attack.

Try to avoid irritants that may trigger an asthma attack, such as smoke, pollen, pet dander, dust, or molds. Learn to use a peak flow meter, use it daily, and promptly report worsening of asthma (such as readings in the yellow or red range).

Tell your doctor at once if your condition is getting worse, indicated by these situations: your inhaled, short-acting bronchodilator becomes less effective; you need more inhalation than usual of your inhaled, short-acting bronchodilator; you have asthma and you have a serious decrease in your peak flow measurement as previously defined by your doctor.

Rarely, your wheezing may increase right after using Advair Diskus . If this occurs, use your quick-relief inhaler. Seek immediate medical attention if your breathing does not improve at that time. you have been taking oral steroids (eg, prednisone) on a regular basis (eg, 4 times a day or more than 20 mg/day of prednisone), you may need to stop taking the oral medicines before staring this one. Joint and muscle pain, lack of energy, and depression may occur when you stop taking oral steroids.

Additional oral steroids may be needed during periods of high stress (eg, trauma, surgery, infection) or during a severe asthma attack. Carry a warning card indicating this potential need. You should have regular eye exams while on Advair Diskus . Avoid exposure to measles or chickenpox.

If you are exposed, contact your doctor immediately. Diabetes patients - Advair Diskus may affect your blood sugar. Check blood sugar levels closely. Ask your doctor before you change the dose of your diabetes medicine. Lab tests may be performed while you use this medicine. These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.

Use Advair Diskus with caution in the elderly; they may be more sensitive to its effects, especially effects on the heart.

Advair Diskus should not be used in children younger than 4 years old; safety and effectiveness in these children have not been confirmed.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding:

If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Advair Diskus while you are pregnant.

Advair Diskus is found in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Advair Diskus.

Possible Side Effects

• Cough;
• diarrhea;
• dizziness;
• dry mouth or throat;
• headache;
• hoarseness;
• nausea;
• nervousness;
• stomach pain;
• upper respiratory tract or viral infection;
• vomiting.

More Information

Advair Discus is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people.

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Other Useful Information:

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy waves often used in medicine. 2. The use of energy waves to diagnose or treat disease.

Replantation: 1. Literally, the act of planting again. 2. In surgery, the restoration of any part of the body to its original site. Also known as reimplantation.

The Chinese surgeon Zhong Wei Chen (1929-2004) was the "father of replantation." Dr. Chen was the first to reattach a severed hand with success which he did in 1963. Dr. Chen also developed many microsurgical procedures including techniques for preserving severed extremities, reattaching amputated fingers and thumbs, reconstructing muscles and repairing nerves and blood vessels.

Rheumatism: Rheumatism is an older term, used to describe any of a number of painful conditions of muscles, tendons, joints, and bones.

Rheumatism conditions have been classified as either localized, regional, or generalized. Localized rheumatism conditions include bursitis and tendinitis. Regional rheumatism conditions include chest wall pain, temporomandibular joint pain, and myofascial pain syndromes. Generalized rheumatism conditions include fibromyalgia.

Another category of rheumatism is psychogenic rheumatism. With this term it is understood that the patient is reporting inconsistent pains of muscles and joints that do not correspond to true anatomy and physiology. The patient is felt to have underlying psychological causes for the symptoms.

Rheumatology: A subspecialty of internal medicine that involves the non-surgical evaluation and treatment of the rheumatic diseases and conditions. Rheumatic diseases and conditions are characterized by symptoms involving the musculoskeletal system. Many of the rheumatic diseases and conditions feature immune system abnormalities. Therefore, rheumatology also involves the study of the immune system. Classical rheumatology training includes 4 years of medical school, 1 year of internship in internal medicine, 2 years of internal medicine residency, and 2 years of rheumatology fellowship. There is a subspecialty board for rheumatology certification. The American College of Rheumatology is the official organization acting on behalf of the field of rheumatology in the United States.

T cell: A type of white blood cell that is of key importance to the immune system and is at the core of adaptive immunity, the system that tailors the body's immune response to specific pathogens. The T cells are like soldiers who search out and destroy the targeted invaders.

Immature T cells (termed T-stem cells) migrate to the thymus gland in the neck, where they mature and differentiate into various types of mature T cells and become active in the immune system in response to a hormone called thymosin and other factors. T-cells that are potentially activated against the body's own tissues are normally killed or changed ("down-regulated") during this maturational process.

There are several different types of mature T cells. Not all of their functions are known. T cells can produce substances called cytokines such as the interleukins which further stimulate the immune response. T-cell activation is measured as a way to assess the health of patients with HIV/AIDS and less frequently in other disorders.

T cell are also known as T lymphocytes. The "T" stands for "thymus" -- the organ in which these cells mature. As opposed to B cells which mature in the bone marrow.

Teleology: The study of the ultimate purpose of the design of something in nature.

For example, "what is the true purpose of the nose?" is a teleological question and, to say that all evolutionary changes occur for a definite purpose is a teleological explanation of evolution.

"Teleology" comes from ancient Greek roots but it (and teleological) did not enter English until the 18th century. It is a compound of the Greek "tele-, telos," meaning "end or purpose" + the ending "logos" meaning "the science or study of" = the study of the ends or purposes.

Testosterone: A "male hormone" -- a sex hormone produced by the testes that encourages the development of male sexual characteristics, stimulates the activity of the male secondary sex characteristics, and prevents changes in them following castration. Chemically, testosterone is 17-beta-hydroxy-4-androstene-3-one.

Testosterone is the most potent of the naturally occurring androgens. The androgens cause the development of male sex characteristics, such as a deep voice and a beard; they also strengthen muscle tone and bone mass.

High levels of testosterone appear to promote good health in men, for example, lowering the risks of high blood pressure and heart attack. High testosterone levels also correlate with risky behavior, however, including increased aggressiveness and smoking, which may cancel out these health benefits.

Testosterone may be given to treat medical conditions, including female (but not male) breast cancer, hypogonadism (low gonadal function) in the male, cryptorchism (nondescent of the testis into the scrotum), and menorrhagia (irregular periods).