FLOVENT HFA

FLOVENT HFA- fluticasone propionate aerosol, metered
A-S Medication Solutions

1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE

FLOVENT HFA is indicated for the maintenance treatment of asthma as prophylactic therapy in adult and pediatric patients aged 4 years and older.

Limitations of Use

FLOVENT HFA is not indicated for the relief of acute bronchospasm.

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

2.1 Administration Information

FLOVENT 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.

A valved holding chamber and mask may be used to deliver FLOVENT HFA to young patients.

Priming

Prime FLOVENT 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 7 days or when it has been dropped, prime the inhaler again by shaking well for 5 seconds and releasing 1 spray into the air away from the face. Avoid spraying in eyes.

2.2 Recommended Dosage

Adult and Adolescent Patients Aged 12 Years and Older

The recommended starting dosage for patients aged 12 years and older who are not on an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS): 88 mcg (2 inhalations of 44 mcg fluticasone propionate) twice daily by oral inhalation, approximately 12 hours apart.

The maximum recommended dosage for patients aged 12 years and older is 880 mcg twice daily.

Pediatric Patients Aged 4 to 11 Years

The recommended dosage for patients aged 4 to 11 years: 88 mcg (2 inhalations of 44 mcg fluticasone propionate) twice daily by oral inhalation, approximately 12 hours apart.

General Dosing Recommendations

The starting dosage is based on previous asthma therapy and asthma severity, including consideration of patients’ current control of asthma symptoms and risk of future exacerbation.

If symptoms arise between doses, an inhaled short-acting beta2 -agonist should be used for immediate relief.

Individual patients will experience a variable time to onset and degree of symptom relief. Maximum benefit may not be achieved for 1 to 2 weeks or longer after starting treatment.

For other patients, and for patients who do not respond adequately to the starting dosage after 2 weeks of therapy, higher dosages may provide additional asthma control.

If a dosage regimen fails to provide adequate control of asthma, the therapeutic regimen should be re-evaluated and additional therapeutic options, e.g., replacing the current strength with a higher strength, initiating an ICS and long-acting beta2 -agonist (LABA) combination product, or initiating oral corticosteroids, should be considered.

After asthma stability has been achieved, titrate to the lowest effective dosage to reduce the possibility of side effects.

3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS

Inhalation aerosol: dark orange plastic inhaler with a peach cap containing a pressurized metered-dose aerosol canister containing 120 metered inhalations and fitted with a counter.

44 mcg of fluticasone propionate from the mouthpiece per actuation
110 mcg of fluticasone propionate from the mouthpiece per actuation
220 mcg of fluticasone propionate from the mouthpiece per actuation

4 CONTRAINDICATIONS

FLOVENT HFA is contraindicated in the following conditions:

Primary treatment of status asthmaticus or other acute episodes of asthma where intensive measures are required [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].
Hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6), Adverse Reactions (6.2), Description (11)].

5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

5.1 Oropharyngeal Candidiasis

In clinical trials, the development of localized infections of the mouth and pharynx with Candida albicans has occurred in subjects treated with FLOVENT HFA. When such an infection develops, it should be treated with appropriate local or systemic (i.e., oral) antifungal therapy while treatment with FLOVENT HFA continues, but at times therapy with FLOVENT HFA may need to be interrupted. Advise the patient to rinse his/her mouth with water without swallowing following inhalation to help reduce the risk of oropharyngeal candidiasis.

5.2 Acute Asthma Episodes

FLOVENT HFA is not to be regarded as a bronchodilator and is not indicated for rapid relief of bronchospasm. Patients should be instructed to contact their physicians immediately when episodes of asthma that are not responsive to bronchodilators occur during the course of treatment with FLOVENT HFA. During such episodes, patients may require therapy with oral corticosteroids.

5.3 Immunosuppression and Risk of Infections

Persons who are using drugs that suppress the immune system are more susceptible to infections than healthy individuals. Chickenpox and measles, for example, can have a more serious or even fatal course in susceptible children or adults using corticosteroids. In such children or adults who have not had these diseases or been properly immunized, particular care should be taken to avoid exposure. How the dose, route, and duration of corticosteroid administration affect the risk of developing a disseminated infection is not known. The contribution of the underlying disease and/or prior corticosteroid treatment to the risk is also not known. If a patient is exposed to chickenpox, prophylaxis with varicella zoster immune globulin (VZIG) may be indicated. If a patient is exposed to measles, prophylaxis with pooled intramuscular immunoglobulin (IG) may be indicated. (See the respective package inserts for complete VZIG and IG prescribing information.) If chickenpox develops, treatment with antiviral agents may be considered.

ICS should be used with caution, if at all, in patients with active or quiescent tuberculosis infections of the respiratory tract; systemic fungal, bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections; or ocular herpes simplex.

5.4 Transferring Patients from Systemic Corticosteroid Therapy

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Suppression/Adrenal Insufficiency

Particular care is needed for patients who have been transferred from systemically active corticosteroids to ICS because deaths due to adrenal insufficiency have occurred in patients with asthma during and after transfer from systemic corticosteroids to less systemically available ICS. After withdrawal from systemic corticosteroids, a number of months are required for recovery of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function.

Patients who have been previously maintained on 20 mg or more of prednisone (or its equivalent) may be most susceptible, particularly when their systemic corticosteroids have been almost completely withdrawn. During this period of HPA suppression, patients may exhibit signs and symptoms of adrenal insufficiency when exposed to trauma, surgery, or infection (particularly gastroenteritis) or other conditions associated with severe electrolyte loss. Although FLOVENT HFA may control asthma symptoms during these episodes, in recommended doses it supplies less than normal physiological amounts of glucocorticoid systemically and does NOT provide the mineralocorticoid activity that is necessary for coping with these emergencies.

During periods of stress or a severe asthma attack, patients who have been withdrawn from systemic corticosteroids should be instructed to resume oral corticosteroids (in large doses) immediately and to contact their physicians for further instruction. These patients should also be instructed to carry a warning card indicating that they may need supplementary systemic corticosteroids during periods of stress or a severe asthma attack.

Patients requiring oral corticosteroids should be weaned slowly from systemic corticosteroid use after transferring to FLOVENT HFA. Prednisone reduction can be accomplished by reducing the daily prednisone dose by 2.5 mg on a weekly basis during therapy with FLOVENT HFA. Lung function (mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1 ] or morning peak expiratory flow [AM PEF]), beta-agonist use, and asthma symptoms should be carefully monitored during withdrawal of oral corticosteroids. In addition, patients should be observed for signs and symptoms of adrenal insufficiency, such as fatigue, lassitude, weakness, nausea and vomiting, and hypotension.

Unmasking of Allergic Conditions Previously Suppressed by Systemic Corticosteroids

Transfer of patients from systemic corticosteroid therapy to FLOVENT HFA may unmask allergic conditions previously suppressed by the systemic corticosteroid therapy (e.g., rhinitis, conjunctivitis, eczema, arthritis, eosinophilic conditions).

Corticosteroid Withdrawal Symptoms

During withdrawal from oral corticosteroids, some patients may experience symptoms of systemically active corticosteroid withdrawal (e.g., joint and/or muscular pain, lassitude, depression) despite maintenance or even improvement of respiratory function.

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