Seretide 100 Accuhaler
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(salmeterol xinafoate & fluticasone propionate)
PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET
Seretide Accuhaler is available in different strengths. Seretide 100 Accuhaler will be referred to as Seretide Accuhaler throughout this leaflet.
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine.
• 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. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
• If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
In this leaflet:
1. What Seretide Accuhaler is and what it is used for
2. Before you use Seretide Accuhaler
3. How to use Seretide Accuhaler
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Seretide Accuhaler
6. Further information
1. WHAT SERETIDE ACCUHALER IS AND WHAT IT IS USED FOR
Seretide Accuhaler contains two medicines, salmeterol and fluticasone propionate:
• Salmeterol is a long-acting bronchodilator. Bronchodilators help the airways in the lungs to stay open. This makes it easier for air to get in and out. The effects last for at least 12 hours.
• Fluticasone propionate is a corticosteroid which reduces swelling and irritation in the lungs.
The doctor has prescribed this medicine to help prevent breathing problems such as:
• Asthma
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Seretide Accuhaler, at a dose of 50/500 micrograms, reduces the number of flare ups of COPD symptoms.
You must use Seretide Accuhaler every day as directed by your doctor. This will make sure that it works properly in controlling your asthma or COPD.
Seretide Accuhaler helps to stop breathlessness and wheeziness coming on. It does not work once you are breathless or wheezy. If that happens you need to use a fast acting 'reliever' medication, such as salbutamol.
2. BEFORE YOU USE SERETIDE ACCUHALER
Do not take Seretide Accuhaler if:
You are allergic (hypersensitive) to salmeterol xinafoate, fluticasone propionate or to the other ingredient lactose monohydrate.
Take special care with Seretide Accuhaler
Your doctor will supervise your treatment more closely if you have medical conditions such as:
• Heart disease, including an irregular or fast heartbeat
• Overactive thyroid gland
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes mellitus (Seretide Accuhaler may increase your blood sugar)
• Low potassium in your blood
• Tuberculosis (TB) now or in the past.
If you have ever had any of these conditions, tell your doctor before you use Seretide Accuhaler.
Taking other medicines
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines. This includes medicines for asthma or any medicines obtained without a prescription. This is because Seretide Accuhaler may not be suitable to be taken with some other medicines.
Tell your doctor if you are taking the following medicines, before starting to use Seretide Accuhaler:
• Beta-blockers (such as atenolol, propranolol, sotalol). Beta-blockers are mostly used for high blood pressure or other heart conditions.
• Antiviral and antifungal medicines (such as ritonavir, ketoconazole and itraconazole). Some of these medicines may increase the amount of fluticasone propionate or salmeterol in your body.
This can increase your risk of experiencing side effects with Seretide Accuhaler, including irregular heartbeats, or may make side effects worse.
• Corticosteroids (by mouth or by injection). If you have had these medicines recently, this might increase the risk of this medicine affecting your adrenal gland.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant or breast-feeding, talk to your doctor before taking Seretide Accuhaler. Your doctor will assess whether you can take Seretide Accuhaler during this time.
Driving and using machines
Seretide Accuhaler is not likely to affect your ability to drive or use machines.
Important information about some of the ingredients of Seretide Accuhaler
Seretide Accuhaler contains up to 12.5 milligrams of lactose in each dose. The amount of lactose in this medicine does not normally cause problems in people who are lactose intolerant.
3. HOW TO USE SERETIDE ACCUHALER
• Use your Seretide Accuhaler every day, until your doctor advises you to stop.
• Always use Seretide Accuhaler exactly as your doctor has told you. Don't exceed the recommended dose. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you're not sure.
For asthma
Adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over
• Seretide 100 Accuhaler - One inhalation twice a day
• Seretide 250 Accuhaler - One inhalation twice a day
• Seretide 500 Accuhaler - One inhalation twice a day
Children 4 to 12 years of age
• Seretide 100 Accuhaler - One inhalation twice a day
• Seretide Accuhaler is not recommended for use in children below 4 years of age.
For adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Seretide 500 Accuhaler - One inhalation twice a day
Your symptoms may become well controlled using Seretide Accuhaler twice a day.
If so, your doctor may decide to reduce your dose to once a day. The dose may change to:
• once at night - if you have night-time symptoms
• once in the morning - if you have daytime symptoms.
It is very important to follow your doctor's instructions on how many inhalations to take and how often to take your medicine.
If you are using Seretide Accuhaler for asthma, your doctor will want to regularly check your symptoms.
If your asthma or breathing gets worse tell your doctor straight away. You may find that you feel more wheezy, your chest feels tight more often or you may need to use more of your fast acting 'reliever' medicine. If any of these happen, you should continue to take Seretide Accuhaler but do not increase the number of puffs you take. Your chest condition may be getting worse and you could become seriously ill. See your doctor as you may need additional treatment.
Instructions for use
• Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist should show you how to use your inhaler. They should check how you use it from time to time. Not using the Seretide Accuhaler properly or as prescribed may mean that it will not help your asthma or COPD as it should.
• The Accuhaler device holds blisters containing Seretide as a powder.
• There is a counter on top of the Accuhaler which tells you how many doses are left. It counts down to 0. The numbers 5 to 0 will appear in red to warn you when there are only a few doses left. Once the counter shows 0, your inhaler is empty.
Using your inhaler
1. To open your Accuhaler, hold the outer case in one hand and put the thumb of your other hand on the thumbgrip. Push your thumb away from you as far as it will go. You will hear a click. This will open a small hole in the mouthpiece.
2. Hold your Accuhaler with the mouthpiece towards you. You can hold it in either your right or left hand. Slide the lever away from you as far as it will go. You will hear a click. This places a dose of your medicine in the mouthpiece.
Every time the lever is pulled back a blister is opened inside and the powder made ready for you to inhale. Do not play with the lever as this opens the blisters and wastes medicine.
3. Hold the Accuhaler away from your mouth, breathe out as far as is comfortable. Do not breathe into your Accuhaler.
4. Put the mouthpiece to your lips; breathe in steadily and deeply through the Accuhaler, not through your nose. Remove the Accuhaler from your mouth. Hold your breath for about 10 seconds or for as long as is comfortable. Breathe out slowly.
5. Afterwards rinse your mouth with water and spit it out. This may help to stop you getting thrush and being hoarse.
6. To close the Accuhaler, slide the thumbgrip back towards you, as far as it will go. You will hear a click. The lever will return to its original position and is reset. Your Accuhaler is now ready for you to use again.
Cleaning your inhaler
Wipe the mouthpiece of the Accuhaler with a dry tissue to clean it.
If you use more Seretide Accuhaler than you should
It is important to use the inhaler as instructed. If you accidentally take a larger dose than recommended, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. You may notice your heart beating faster than usual and that you feel shaky. You may also have a headache, muscle weakness and aching joints.
If you have used larger doses for a long period of time, you should talk to your doctor or pharmacist for advice. This is because larger doses of Seretide Accuhaler may reduce the amount of steroid hormones produced by the adrenal gland.
If you forget to use Seretide Accuhaler
If you forget to use your inhaler, take your next dose when it is due. Do not take a double dose to replace the one you forgot.
If you stop using Seretide Accuhaler
It is very important that you take your Seretide Accuhaler every day as directed. Keep taking it until your doctor tells you to stop. Do not stop or suddenly reduce your dose of Seretide Accuhaler. This could make your breathing problem worse and very rarely side effects could occur. These include:
• Stomach pain
• Tiredness and loss of appetite
• Sickness and diarrhoea
• Weight loss
• Headache or drowsiness
• Low levels of potassium in your blood
• Low blood pressure and seizures.
Very rarely, if you get an infection or at times of extreme stress (such as after a serious accident or if you have surgery), you may get similar side effects.
To prevent these symptoms occurring, your doctor may prescribe extra corticosteroids (like prednisolone).
If you have any further questions on using the inhaler, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS
Like all medicines, Seretide Accuhaler can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. To reduce the chance of side effects, your doctor will prescribe the lowest dose of Seretide Accuhaler to control your asthma or COPD.
Allergic reactions: you may notice your breathing suddenly gets worse after using Seretide Accuhaler. You may be very wheezy and cough. You may also notice itching and swelling (usually of the face, lips, tongue, or throat). If you get these effects or if they happen suddenly after using Seretide Accuhaler, tell your doctor straight away.
Allergic reactions to Seretide Accuhaler are uncommon (they affect less than 1 person in 100).
Other side effects are listed below:
Very Common (affects more than 1 person in 10)
• Headache - this usually gets better as treatment continues.
• Increased number of colds have been reported in patients with COPD.
Common (affects less than 1 person in 10)
• Thrush (sore, creamy-yellow, raised patches) in the mouth and throat. Also sore tongue and hoarse voice and throat irritation. Rinsing your mouth out with water and spitting it out immediately after taking each puff may help. Your doctor may prescribe an anti fungal medication to treat the thrush.
• Aching, swollen joints and muscle pain.
• Muscle cramps.
The following side effects have also been reported in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD):
• Pneumonia and bronchitis (lung infection). Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms: increase in sputum production, change in sputum colour, fever, chills, increased cough, increased breathing problems.
• Bruising and fractures.
• Inflammation of sinuses (a feeling of tension or fullness in the nose, cheeks and behind the eyes, sometimes with a throbbing ache).
• A reduction in the amount of potassium in the blood (you may get an uneven heartbeat, muscle weakness, cramp).
Uncommon (affects less than 1 person in 100)
• Increases in the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood (hyperglycaemia). If you have diabetes, more frequent blood sugar monitoring and possibly adjustment of your usual diabetic treatment may be required.
• Cloudy lens in the eye.
• Very fast heartbeat (tachycardia).
• Feeling shaky and fast or uneven heart beat (palpitations) - these are usually harmless and get less as treatment continues.
• Chest pain.
• Feeling worried (this effect mainly occurs in children).
• Disturbed sleep.
• Rash.
Rare (affects less than 1 person in 1000)
• Breathing difficulties or wheezing that get worse straight after taking Seretide Accuhaler. If this happens stop using your Seretide Accuhaler. Use your fast-acting 'reliever' inhaler to help your breathing and tell your doctor straight away.
• Seretide Accuhaler may affect the normal production of steroid hormones in the body, particularly if you have taken high doses for long periods of time. The effects includes:
• Slowing of growth in children and adolescents
• Thinning of the bones
• Glaucoma
• Weight gain
• Rounded (moon shaped) face (Cushing's Syndrome).
Your doctor will check you regularly for any of these side effects and make sure you are taking the lowest dose of Seretide Accuhaler to control your asthma.
• Behavioural changes, such as being unusually active and irritable (these effects mainly occur in children).
• Uneven heartbeat or heart gives an extra beat (arrhythmias). Tell your doctor, but do not stop taking Seretide Accuhaler unless they tell you to stop.
Frequency not known, but may also occur:
• Depression or aggression. These effects are more likely to occur in children.
If any of the side effects become serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
5. HOW TO STORE SERETIDE ACCUHALER
• Keep all medicines out of the sight and reach of children.
• Do not store above 30°C (86°F).
• Do not use after the date shown as 'EXP' on the carton and device. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
• If your doctor tells you to stop taking the medicine, please take it back to the pharmacist for safe disposal.
• If your medicine appears to be discoloured or shows any other signs of deterioration, please return to your pharmacist who will advise you further.
• Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.
6. FURTHER INFORMATION
What Seretide Accuhaler contains
• Each blister contains powder for inhalation providing 100 micrograms of fluticasone propionate and 50 micrograms salmeterol (as the xinafoate).
• Also contains lactose monohydrate, which acts as a 'carrier'.
What Seretide Accuhaler looks like and contents of the pack
• Seretide Accuhaler is a two tone purple, circular device in moulded plastic containing white inhalation powder with a dose counter indicating number of doses remaining.
• An Accuhaler is an easy to use inhaler, which is designed to release a dose of medicine into your lungs when you take a breath in. The blisters protect the powder for inhalation from the effects of the atmosphere. The device has a counter that tells you the number of blisters remaining. It counts down from 60 to 0. To show when the last five blisters have been reached, the numbers appear in red. When the counter shows 0, your Accuhaler is empty and should be disposed of.
• The device is packed in a carton which holds one accuhaler containing 60 blisters providing 60 actuations.
Manufacturer
Manufactured by: Glaxo Wellcome Operations, Ware, UK.
Procured from within the EU and repackaged by: Doncaster Pharmaceuticals Group Ltd., Kirk Sandall, Doncaster, DN3 1QR.
Product Licence holder: Landmark Pharma Ltd., 7 Regents Drive, Prudhoe, Northumberland, NE42 6PX.
PL No: 21828/0144 1“—I
PL No: 21828/0149 I POM I
Leaflet revision date (Ref): 12.06.13
Seretide™ and Accuhaler™ are trademarks of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies.
Other formats:
To request a copy of this leaflet in Braille, large print or audio please call 01302 552940 and ask for the Regulatory Department.
Please be ready to give the following information:
Product name: Seretide 100 Accuhaler
Reference number: 21828/0144 Or 21828/0149
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