Serevent

salmeterol xinafoate

Serevent belongs to a class of medications known as “long-acting beta 2-adrenergic agonists” or LABAs.

These long-acting bronchodilator medicines help to relax the muscles around the airways in the lungs, preventing bronchospasm, or wheezing, from happening. Even though LABAs decrease the frequency of asthma episodes, which are marked by sudden tightening of the muscles around the airways, they may make the episodes more severe when they do occur.

In January, 2003, a safety study of the Serevent was halted by its manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, when it showed an increase in asthma deaths and serious asthma attacks among those taking Serevent without an inhaled corticosteroid. There was a major increase evident in African-Americans participating in the study.

As a result of the study results, the FDA advises that patients taking Serevent must also have a short-acting inhaler to open up airways as needed for acute symptoms of asthma and bronchiospasm.

Common side effects observed in patients using Serevent are:

• hoarseness
• throat irritation
• headache
• rapid heartbeat
• nervousness
• cough
• dry mouth/throat
• upset stomach

Patients should immediately contact their doctors if they experience any of the following rare but serious side effects:

• chest pain
• fast/slow/irregular heartbeat
• seizures

Source: “SALMETEROL INHALATION - ORAL,” Webmd.com, May 2007.