Dear Dr. K:\u00a0 I recently heard that the “black-box” warnings on LABAs (long-lasting bronchodilators) has been removed.\u00a0 Is that true, and are LABAs safe?<\/p>\n
These are two great questions.\u00a0 The answer to both is “yes”.\u00a0 It’s best, however, that we explain a few things.\u00a0 The two most common of these bronchodilators are Formoterol and Salmeterol.\u00a0 They are basically long-acting forms of Albuterol.\u00a0 When they first became available about 20 years ago they could be used as a single agent to treat asthma.\u00a0 It soon became apparent this was not a good idea in moderate-to-severe asthmatics because they don’t treat the underlying inflammation that causes the asthma in the first place.<\/p>\n
Until this was understood there were some asthmatics who were hospitalized or even died because of severe exacerbation of their asthma.\u00a0 This led the FDA to do two things:\u00a0 No. 1. To require the black-box labeling, and No. 2. To issue specific guidelines never to use LABAs by themselves, but only in combination with an inhaled steroid.<\/p>\n
Once these guidelines were instituted, a number of academic studies have shown that these medications not only help control moderate and severe asthma, but also reduce hospitalizations and mortality.<\/p>\n
It is for this reason that the FDA decided to do what is rarely done, and that is to remove the black-box warning.\u00a0 Their rationale for doing so is to eliminate patients’ fear of taking a medicine that could truly help (and not harm) them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dear Dr. K:\u00a0 I recently heard that the “black-box” warnings on LABAs (long-lasting bronchodilators) has been removed.\u00a0 Is that true, and are LABAs safe? These are two great questions.\u00a0 The answer to both is “yes”.\u00a0 It’s best, however, that we explain a few things.\u00a0 The two most common of these bronchodilators are Formoterol and Salmeterol.\u00a0 They are basically long-acting forms of Albuterol.\u00a0 When they first became available about 20 years ago they could be used as a single agent to…<\/p>\n