Pulmicort Information and Uses

Pulmicort

Pulmicort Overview

Pulmicort (generic: budesonide) is a prescription medication used to prevent asthma attacks. Pulmicort belongs to a group of drugs called inhaled corticosteroids. Inhaled corticosteroids help to decrease inflammation in the lungs. Inflammation in the lungs can lead to asthma symptoms.

This medication comes in two forms, as a dry powder to be inhaled (Pulmicort Flexhaler) and as a liquid to be used in a jet nebulizer (Pulmicort Respules). The inhaler is usually used twice daily. Pulmicort Respules are used once or twice daily.

Common side effects of Pulmicort include sore nose and throat, stuffy or runny nose, and nausea.

Uses of Pulmicort

Pulmicort is a prescription medicine used for long-term (maintenance) treatment of asthma and to prevent asthma symptoms in adults and children 6 years of age and older.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Side Effects of Pulmicort

Pulmicort Flexhaler can cause serious side effects, including:

thrush (candida), a fungal infection in your mouth and throat. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any redness or white colored patches in your mouth or throat.
worsening of asthma or sudden asthma attacks.
allergic reactions. Tell your healthcare provider or get medical help right away if you have:

skin rash, redness or swelling
severe itching
swelling of the face, mouth, and tongue
trouble breathing or swallowing
chest pain
anxiety (feeling of doom)

Immune system effects and a higher chance of infections. You are more likely to get infections if you take medicines that weaken your immune system. Avoid contact with people who have contagious diseases such as chicken pox or measles while using Pulmicort Flexhaler. Symptoms of infection may include: fever, pain, aches, chills, feeling tired, nausea and vomiting. Tell your healthcare provider about any signs of infection while you are using Pulmicort Flexhaler.
Adrenal insufficiency. Adrenal insufficiency is a condition in which the adrenal glands do not make enough steroid hormones. Symptoms of adrenal insufficiency include: tiredness, weakness, nausea and vomiting and low blood pressure.
Decrease in bone mineral density. Your healthcare provider should check you for this during treatment with Pulmicort Flexhaler.
Slowed or delayed growth problems in children. A child’s growth should be checked regularly while using Pulmicort Flexhaler.
Eye problems, including glaucoma and cataracts. You should have regular eye exams while using Pulmicort Flexhaler.
Increased wheezing right after taking Pulmicort Flexhaler. Always have a short-acting beta2-agonist medicine (rescue inhaler) with you to treat sudden wheezing.

Call your healthcare provider or get medical help right away if you have symptoms of any of the serious side effects listed above.

Common side effects reported by patients using Pulmicort Flexhaler include:

sore nose and throat
stuffy nose
runny nose
nausea
hay fever
viral infections of the upper respiratory tract
viral irritation and inflammation of the stomach and intestine (gastroenteritis). Symptoms may include stomach area pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, headaches, and weakness.
ear infections

Tell your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all of the side effects of Pulmicort Flexhaler. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information.

Pulmicort Interactions

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Using Pulmicort Flexhaler with certain other medicines may affect each other causing side effects.

Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take:

a corticosteroid medicine
anti-seizure medicine (anticonvulsants)
medicines that suppress your immune system (immunosuppressant)
ketoconazale (Nizoral), other medicines that affect how your liver works.

Pulmicort Precautions

Do not use Pulmicort Flexhaler:

to treat sudden severe symptoms of asthma.
if you have a severe allergy to milk proteins. Pulmicort Flexhaler contains a small amount of lactose (milk sugar). People with severe allergies to milk protein may have symptoms of an allergic reaction with Pulmicort Flexhaler including: cough, wheezing, trouble breathing or feeling like your throat is closing.

Fungal infection of the mouth and throat may occur with Pulmicort Flexhaler use. Rinse your mouth following inhalation.

Pulmicort Food Interactions

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Pulmicort Flexhaler there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving Pulmicort Flexhaler.

Inform MD

Before using Pulmicort Flexhaler tell your healthcare provider if you:

are allergic to any ingredients in Pulmicort Flexhaler
have or had chicken pox or measles, or have recently been near anyone with chicken pox or measles. have or had tuberculosis of your respiratory tract. have certain kinds of serious infections that have not been treated, including:

fungal infections
bacterial infections
viral infections
parasitic infections
herpes simplex infection of the eye (ocular herpes simplex)

have eye problems such as increased pressure in the eye, glaucoma, or cataracts
are planning to have surgery
have liver problems
have decreased bone mineral density.

You are at risk for decreased bone mineral density if you:

are inactive for a long period of time
have a family history of osteoporosis
are a woman going through menopause or are past menopause
smoke or use tobacco
do not eat well (poor nutrition)
are elderly
take bone thinning medicines (such as anticonvulsant medicines or corticosteroids) for a long time.

Pulmicort and Pregnancy

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Pulmicort will harm your unborn baby.

Pulmicort and Lactation

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. The active ingredient in Pulmicort is excreted in human breast milk. It is not known if Pulmicort will harm your nursing baby.

Pulmicort Usage

Use Pulmicort Flexhaler exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
You must use Pulmicort Flexhaler regularly for it to work.
Pulmicort Flexhaler comes in two strengths. Your healthcare provider has prescribed the strength that is best for you.
Be sure you know the difference between Pulmicort Flexhaler and any other inhaled medicines that are prescribed for you, including what you use them for (prescribed use) and what they look like.
Do not stop using Pulmicort Flexhaler, even if your symptoms get better. Your healthcare provider will change your medicines as needed.
Do not change or stop any medicines used to control or treat your breathing problems, unless your healthcare provider tells you to.
Rinse your mouth with water and spit the water out after each dose of Pulmicort Flexhaler. Do not swallow the water. This will lessen the chance of getting a fungal infection (thrush) in the mouth.
If you miss a dose, just take your next regularly scheduled dose when it is due. Do not use Pulmicort Flexhaler more often or use more puffs than you have been prescribed.
Make sure you always have a short-acting beta2-agonist medicine with you. Use your short acting beta2-agonist medicine if you have breathing problems between doses of Pulmicort Flexhaler or if a sudden asthma attack happens.

Pulmicort Dosage

Take Pulmicort Flexhaler exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully. Your doctor will determine the best dose for you. The dosage of Pulmicort Flexhaler must be individualized.

If asthma symptoms arise in the period between doses, an inhaled, short-acting beta2-agonist should be taken for immediate relief.

Patients 18 Years of Age and Older: For patients 18 years of age and older, the recommended starting dosage is 360 mcg twice daily. In some adult patients, a starting dose of 180 mcg twice daily may be adequate. The maximum dosage should not exceed 720 mcg twice daily.

Patients 6 to 17 Years of Age: The recommended starting dosage is 180 mcg twice daily. In some pediatric patients, a starting dose of 360 mcg twice daily may be appropriate. The maximum dosage should not exceed 360 mcg twice daily.

For all patients, it is desirable to titrate to the lowest effective dose after adequate asthma stability is achieved.

Improvement in asthma control following inhaled administration of Pulmicort Flexhaler can occur within 24 hours of initiation of treatment, although maximum benefit may not be achieved for 1 to 2 weeks, or longer. Individual patients will experience a variable onset and degree of symptom relief.

If a previously effective dosage regimen of Pulmicort Flexhaler fails to provide adequate control of asthma, the therapeutic regimen should be re-evaluated and additional therapeutic options (e.g. replacing the lower strength of Pulmicort Flexhaler with the higher strength or initiating oral corticosteroids) should be considered.

Pulmicort Overdose

Taking large doses (more than the prescribed amount) of Pulmicort Flexhaler over a long period of time may cause serious problems. Short-term overdose may not require treatment. However, if you take too much Pulmicort Flexhaler, call your doctor or local Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical attention right away.

Forms of Pulmicort

Pulmicort Flexhaler is available as a dry powder for inhalation containing budesonide in the following 2 strengths: 90 mcg and 180 mcg. Each dosage strength contains 60 or 120 actuations per device.

Active ingredient: budesonide

Inactive ingredient: lactose