Salmeterol
About Salmeterol
Salmeterol is a respiratory medication primarily used to treat and prevent asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Asthma is a chronic (long-term) respiratory condition in which airways narrow, swell and produce extra mucus, leading to difficulty breathing. COPD is a group of lung diseases that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs.
Salmeterol contains ‘Salmeterol’ belongs to the class of bronchodilators. It is a long-acting beta-agonist that relaxes the muscles in the airways and increases airflow to the lungs. Salmeterol makes breathing easier by widening the airways.
Salmeterol is for inhalation only. Your doctor will recommend how often you need to take Salmeterol based on your medical condition. Some people may experience side effects like headaches, sore throat, sneezing, stuffy nose, restlessness, low fever, palpitations, and muscle cramps. Most of these side effects of Salmeterol do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
Do not use Salmeterol to treat sudden, severe symptoms of asthma or as a rescue inhaler. If you are allergic to Salmeterol or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please inform your doctor before using Salmeterol. Salmeterol is not recommended for children below four years of age. Keep the doctor informed if you are taking any other medicines or have pre-existing medical conditions.
Uses of Salmeterol
• Treatment of asthma: Salmeterol prevents and manages symptoms like wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath by relaxing the airway muscles.
• Management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): Improves airflow and breathing in patients with long-term lung diseases.
• Treatment of bronchitis: Relieves symptoms of chronic bronchitis by decreasing airway inflammation and enhancing airflow.
• Management of emphysema: Enhances breathing capacity in patients with emphysema by keeping the air passages open.
• Long-term maintenance therapy: Provides sustained bronchodilation to minimise the frequency and severity of respiratory problems.
Medicinal Benefits
Salmeterol contains ‘Salmeterol’, a bronchodilator used to treat and prevent respiratory disorders like asthma, exercise-induced bronchospasm and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Additionally, Salmeterol improves pulmonary function and effectively treats and prevents the worsening of emphysema (shortness of breath) and chronic bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchial tubes). Salmeterol is a long-acting β2 agonist and bronchodilator. It relaxes the muscles in the airways and increases airflow to the lungs. It makes breathing easier by widening the airways.
Directions for Use
- Follow your doctor's instructions on the dosage and timing of this medication to ensure safe and effective use.
- Hold Salmeterol with the mouthpiece downwards. Put the mouthpiece between your teeth and seal the lips around it. Then, press down on the inhaler once to release the medication. Breathe in slowly and hold your breath for 5 to 10 seconds. Breathe out slowly. Repeat the process until you have inhaled the number of puffs prescribed by the doctor.
- Rinse your mouth with water and spit it out after using Salmeterol to avoid fungal infections in the mouth and throat.
Storage
Side Effects of Salmeterol
- Headache
- Tremor
- Restlessness
- Insomnia (difficulty in sleeping)
- Palpitations
- Muscle cramp
- Throat irritation
- Flu symptoms
- Stuffy or runny nose
Drug Warnings
If you are allergic to Salmeterol or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please inform your doctor before using Salmeterol. Do not stop taking Salmeterol of your own unless advised by your doctor. Please do not use Salmeterol to treat sudden, severe symptoms of asthma or as a rescue inhaler. Before taking Salmeterol, let your doctor know if you have a history of heart, liver, kidney diseases, high blood pressure, hypokalaemia (low potassium levels in the blood), diabetes, seizures (fits) and thyroid disorder. Salmeterol can cause hypokalemia (low potassium levels in the blood); therefore, it should be used with caution in patients with hypokalaemia to prevent any cardiovascular effects. Please check with your doctor if you are taking any other prescribed or non-prescribed medicines.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Inform the doctor if you are taking bronchodilators (aminophylline, theophylline), drugs used to lower high blood pressure (atenolol, metoprolol, propranolol, carvedilol, labetalol, sotalol, timolol), heart-related medicines (procainamide, quinidine), water pills (furosemide, amiloride, bumetanide), drugs used to treat Hodgkin’s disease (procarbazine), antibiotics (clarithromycin, telithromycin, furazolidone), medicines to induce labor (oxytocin), antidepressants (linezolid, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine, methylene blue, imipramine, amitriptyline, isocarboxazid, phenelzine), antifungals (itraconazole, ketoconazole), HIV medicines (atazanavir, ritonavir, nelfinavir, indinavir, cobicistat, saquinavir) and antiparkinson drug (levodopa).
Drug-Food Interactions: Avoid consumption of alcohol while taking Salmeterol as it may lead to severe adverse effects.
Drug-Disease Interactions: If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, chest or lung infections, hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), hypokalaemia (low potassium levels in the blood), heart, liver, or kidney problems, inform your doctor before using Salmeterol.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
cautionAvoid drinking alcohol while taking this medicine, as it can worsen your side effects.
Pregnancy
cautionSalmeterol is a Category C pregnancy drug and is given to pregnant women only if the doctor thinks the benefits outweigh the risks. Please consult a doctor if you are pregnant.
Breast Feeding
cautionPlease consult your doctor before using Salmeterol if you are breastfeeding.
Driving
cautionSalmeterol may not affect your ability to drive or use machines. However, if you notice any side effects, such as dizziness, avoid driving and operating machinery until you feel better.
Liver
cautionSalmeterol should be used with caution in patients with liver diseases. Let your doctor know if you have any history of liver disease or hepatic impairment. Your doctor will weigh the benefits and potential risks before prescribing Salmeterol.
Kidney
cautionSalmeterol should be used with caution in patients with kidney diseases. Let your doctor know if you have any history of kidney disease or renal impairment. Your doctor will weigh the benefits and potential risks before prescribing Salmeterol.
Children
cautionSalmeterol is not recommended for use for children less than 4 years of age. The dose may have to be adjusted by your doctor depending on the condition of the child's disease and age.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Know your triggers, such as allergens, such as pollen, dust and food items, that make your asthma severe.
- Quit smoking and avoid passive smoking. Smoking also reduces the effectiveness of the medicine.
- Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly to strengthen your breathing muscles and boost your immune system.
- Learning breathing exercises will help you move more air in and out of your lungs.
Special Advise
- Regularly monitor your blood sugar levels while using Salmeterol since bronchodilators like Salmeterol can cause low blood glucose levels.
- Consult your diabetologist if you have diabetes before using Salmeterol so that your insulin or other diabetic medication can be adjusted accordingly to maintain your blood sugar levels.
- It is recommended to undergo a blood examination to check your potassium levels, as Salmeterol can cause low potassium levels in the blood (hypokalemia).
- Use of Salmeterol may worsen asthma symptoms in some patients. If you experience severe difficulty breathing, please consult a doctor immediately so that alternative medicine may be prescribed.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Asthma: It is a chronic (long-term) respiratory condition in which airways narrow, swell and produce extra mucus, leading to difficulty breathing. The asthma symptoms include wheezing (whistling sound while breathing), shortness of breath, chest tightness and cough, especially at night. The symptoms of mild persistent asthma may occur more than two times a week and up to 4 nights in a month, whereas, in the case of severe persistent asthma, the symptoms occur several times every day and most nights.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): It is a group of lung diseases with emphysema (shortness of breath) and chronic bronchitis (inflammation of the lining of bronchial tubes). The major cause of COPD is smoking tobacco. Also, long-term exposure to fumes and chemicals may lead to COPD. The symptoms include chronic cough, shortness of breath or wheezing (whistle sound while breathing).
FAQs
Salmeterol is used to treat and prevent asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Salmeterol consists of Salmeterol (bronchodilator) that relaxes the airway muscles and increases airflow to the lungs. It makes breathing easier by widening the airways.
Salmeterol contains Salmeterol, which can cause a rise in blood glucose levels. Hence, therapy with Salmeterol is cautiously administered in patients with diabetes. Please monitor your blood glucose levels regularly and inform your doctor so that the dose can be adjusted accordingly.
Salmeterol is not recommended for children below 4 years as the safety and effectiveness were not established. However, please consult a doctor before using Salmeterol in children.
No, you are not recommended to take atenolol with Salmeterol as it may reduce the effectiveness of both medicines. Also, atenolol may trigger asthma attacks or worsen breathing problems by narrowing airways. However, please consult a doctor before using other medicines with Salmeterol.
Salmeterol may decrease the potassium levels in your body; therefore, it should be used with caution. Please consult your doctor before taking Salmeterol since low potassium levels can lead to other cardiovascular problems in patients with hypokalaemia.
No, Salmeterol does not relieve sudden asthma attacks. Therefore, it is advised to carry a rescue inhaler always to treat sudden asthma symptoms.
Yes, Salmeterol may cause fungal infections in the mouth and throat. Rinse your mouth with water after each use to prevent any infections.
Salmeterol contains salmeterol, which is a long-acting beta-2 adrenergic receptor agonist (LABA). It is primarily a bronchodilator. It is not a steroid inhaler or a beta blocker.
Salmeterol is intended to prevent asthma attacks. It will not be effective in relieving an asthma attack that has already begun. If you have an attack, your doctor might recommend a different inhaler (a short-acting bronchodilator).
The common side effects of Salmeterol are headache, sore throat, sneezing, stuffy nose, restlessness, low fever, palpitations, and muscle cramps. If any of these side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
