Administration Information
ADVAIR HFA should be administered by the orally inhaled route only. After inhalation, rinse mouth with water without swallowing to help reduce the risk of oropharyngeal candidiasis.
Priming
Prime ADVAIR HFA before using for the first time by releasing 4 sprays into the air away from the face, shaking well for 5 seconds before each spray. In cases where the inhaler has not been used for more than 4 weeks or when it has been dropped, prime the inhaler again by releasing 2 sprays into the air away from the face, shaking well for 5 seconds before each spray. Avoid spraying in eyes.
Recommended Dosage
Adult and adolescent patients aged 12 years and older: 2 oral inhalations twice daily, approximately 12 hours apart.
The maximum recommended dosage is 2 inhalations of ADVAIR HFA 230 mcg/21 mcg twice daily.
General Dosing Recommendation
When choosing the starting dosage strength of ADVAIR HFA, consider the patients’ disease severity, based on their previous asthma therapy, including the ICS dosage, as well as the patients’ current control of asthma symptoms and risk of future exacerbation.
If asthma symptoms arise in the period between doses, an inhaled, short-acting beta2-agonist should be used for immediate relief.
Improvement in asthma control following inhaled administration of ADVAIR HFA can occur within 30 minutes of beginning treatment, although maximum benefit may not be achieved for 1 week or longer after starting treatment. Individual patients will experience a variable time to onset and degree of symptom relief.
For patients who do not respond adequately to the starting dosage after 2 weeks of therapy, replacing the current strength of ADVAIR HFA with a higher strength may provide additional improvement in asthma control.
If a previously effective dosage regimen fails to provide adequate improvement in asthma control, the therapeutic regimen should be reevaluated and additional therapeutic options (e.g., replacing the current strength of ADVAIR HFA with a higher strength, adding additional ICS, initiating oral corticosteroids) should be considered.
More frequent administration or a greater number of inhalations (more than 2 inhalations twice daily) of the prescribed strength of ADVAIR HFA is not recommended as some patients are more likely to experience adverse effects with higher doses of salmeterol. Patients using ADVAIR HFA should not use additional LABA (Long-acting beta-adrenoceptor agonist) for any reason. [See Warnings and Precautions (5.3, 5.12).]
