Qvar 100 Micrograms Autohaler
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What is in this leaflet
2. Before you use Qvar Autohaler
Warnings and precautions
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
3. How to use Qvar Autohaler
If you stop using Qvar Autohaler
Your medicine is called Qvar 100 micrograms Autohaler but will be referred to as Qvar Autohaler throughout this leaflet.
Qvar 50 micrograms Autohaler is also available
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start using this medicine because it contains important information for you.
• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• If you have any further
questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
• If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
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1. What Qvar Autohaler is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you use Qvar Autohaler
3. How to use Qvar Autohaler
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Qvar Autohaler
6. Contents of pack and other information
1. What QVAR Autohaler is and what it is used for
Qvar Autohaler contains beclometasone dipropionate, which is one of a group of medicines known as corticosteroids.
Qvar Autohaler is used to prevent the symptoms of mild, moderate, or severe asthma in patients who require regular treatment.
How your medicine works
• Qvar Autohaler works deep in your lungs to make breathing easier by reducing the inflammation, swelling and irritation in the airways. This type of medicine is known as a ‘preventer1. It needs to be taken regularly every day, even if you have no symptoms.
• This inhaler will not give immediate relief of wheezing or breathlessness during a sudden asthma attack. You will need to use a ‘reliever’ inhaler, which contains a different medicine. You should still continue to use this inhaler.
DO NOT use Qvar Autohaler if you:
• are allergic (hypersensitive) to beclometasone dipropionate or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
• are suffering from a sudden attack of breathlessness. It will not help. Use a quick-acting ‘reliever’ inhaler for this purpose and carry it with you at all times.
Talk to your doctor before you start to use
this medicine if:
• you are suffering from tuberculosis (TB) now or have suffered from it in the past
• you are allergic to other similar inhalers.
• you must avoid alcohol for any reason.
• your asthma seems to be getting worse. Perhaps you are more wheezy and short of breath than usual, your ‘reliever’ inhaler seems to be less effective, you require more puffs from your ‘reliever’ inhaler than usual, or you do not seem to be getting better. Your doctor may need to increase the dose of your steroid inhaler or give you a course of steroid tablets, or change your treatment altogether.
If you have an infection in your chest your doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics.
• when transferring from steroid tablets to an inhaler you find that, even if your chest is getting better, you feel generally unwell, you develop a rash, eczema or a runny nose and sneezing (rhinitis). Do not stop treatment with your inhaler unless your doctor tells you to.
Important points to remember while you are
using this medicine:
• Your doctor may prescribe this inhaler to replace steroid tablets, which may mean that for a short time you have to take both medicines. It is important to follow your doctor’s advice. Whilst you are reducing the number of steroid tablets that you take you may feel generally unwell even though you can breathe as well as normal or better. If you have other allergies you may find that stopping your steroid tablets makes them worse. If this happens keep using your inhaler and tell your doctor.
• If you have been treated for a long time with high doses of inhaled steroid, you may require a course of steroid tablets or possibly a steroid injection in times of stress. For example, during admission to hospital after a serious accident, before an operation, during an acute attack of asthma or if you have a chest infection or other serious illness. Your doctor will decide if you need any extra steroid treatment and will also advise you as to how long you need to take the course of steroid tablets and how you should reduce these as you get better.
• There may be times when you need to take steroid tablets as well as using your inhaler, for example if you have worsening asthma attacks, you get a chest infection or you need an operation. Your doctor may give you a small supply of steroid tablets to be taken in these situations; if he does you will be given full instructions on how and when to take them. Contact your doctor immediately if you think that you need to take steroid tablets, even if you have your own supply.
• You should have been given a steroid card with this inhaler; if you have not, please ask your pharmacist for one. Make sure you carry your steroid card with you at all times until your doctor decides that it is no longer necessary.
• Visit your doctor regularly for a review of your condition.
• If you have to go into hospital, remember to take all your inhalers and other medicines with you.
Other medicines and QVAR Autohaler
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including any medicines bought without a prescription.
• In particular tell your doctor if you are taking: Disulfiram
• Metronidazole
If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or are breast-feeding, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine.
Driving and using machines
Qvar Autohaler is not known to affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.
Important information about some of the ingredients of Qvar:
Qvar contains a small amount of alcohol.
There are two strengths of the Qvar Autohaler device available and your doctor will have chosen the strength which best suits your condition.
Remember that it is important to take this medicine as your doctor has told you. The label should remind you how many puffs to take and how often. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
This inhaler has a softer feel and a different taste than other inhalers you may have used before, because it is an extra fine aerosol which results in more of each dose being delivered to your lungs. Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose of this inhaler than your previously used beclometasone dipropionate inhaler.
Even when your doctor has prescribed a lower dose, you may find that the number of puffs you are asked to take from this inhaler is the same as from your previous inhaler; this is because this inhaler may be a lower strength product (which means that each puff of this inhaler contains less beclometasone dipropionate than your old dipropionate inhaler).
DO NOT take more puffs than your doctor has told you to. In some circumstances, your doctor may prescribe more than the usual number of puffs. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. The usual number of puffs to take is.
Adults (including the elderly) and children over 12 years
• Mild to moderate Asthma
The starting dose is one puff twice a day.
This may be increased to two puffs twice a day.
• Severe Asthma
The starting dose is two puffs twice a day.
This may be increased up to four puffs twice a day.
The maximum dose is a total of eight puffs a day.
Children under 12 years
Qvar Autohaler is not recommended for use in children under 12 years.
What to do if you think your treatment is not working
If you think your usual treatment is not working, for example your symptoms are not getting better, or are getting worse, or you need to use more puffs from your reliever inhaler, or if your reliever inhaler does not seem to be working as well as usual, or your peak flow falls, please tell your doctor. Your asthma may be getting worse.
If you use more of your Qvar Autohaler than you should
It is important that you take your dose as stated on the pharmacist’s label, or as advised by your doctor. You should not increase or decrease your dose without seeking medical advice.
If you accidentally take more puffs than recommended, please tell your doctor.
If you forget to use Qvar Autohaler
If you forget to use this inhaler at your usual time, take your recommended number of puffs as soon as you remember unless it is nearly time to use your inhaler again. DO NOT take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose. Then continue to use your inhaler regularly at the correct time, as prescribed by your doctor.
This inhaler must be used regularly, even when you feel well. You must not stop using your inhaler unless your doctor tells you to.
Ask your doctor for a prescription for a replacement inhaler before this one is empty.
If your doctor decides to stop treatment, return the inhaler to your doctor or pharmacist for safe disposal.
Using your Qvar Autohaler Device
Before using your inhaler, please read this I e afl et carefully and follow the instructions. If you are not sure how to use the inhaler device, ask your doctor or a pharmacist.