QVAR (beclomethasone dipropionate HFA) Inhalation Aerosol

REAL-WORLD
ASTHMA CONTROL

QVAR®: Control at Lower Doses

Asthma-related outcomes in 2638 patients starting therapy with either QVAR® or Flovent® were evaluated in a 1-year, observational, retrospective, matched-cohort analysis of patients 5-60 years of age in the UK’s General Practice Research Database (GPRD).1 Paients initiated on QVAR® were at least as likely to achieve asthma control and had similar exacerbation rates as patients initiated on Flovent®. Both outcomes were seen while utilizing lower doses of QVAR®. Asthma control was defined as no recorded hospital attendance for asthma, no prescription for oral corticosteroid, and no consultation, hospital admission, or emergency department attendance for lower respiratory tract infection requiring antibiotics.1

Table with odds ratios for new starts

The QVAR® Difference

QVAR® has several differentiating features compared with Flovent®, including:

  • Smaller particle size*2,3
  • Achieves greater lung deposition*4
  • Does not need to be shaken between actuations5,6

QVAR® (beclomethasone dipropionate HFA) Inhalation Aerosol is indicated in the maintenance treatment of asthma as prophylactic therapy in patients 5 years of age or older. QVAR® is also indicated for asthma patients who require systemic corticosteroid administration, where adding QVAR® may reduce or eliminate the need for systemic corticosteroids.

Important Safety Information

  • QVAR® is not a bronchodilator and is not indicated for relief of acute bronchospasm
  • Common side effects associated with the use of QVAR® and placebo in clinical trials include, but are not limited to, headache (12% and 9%, respectively) and pharyngitis (8% and 4%, respectively)
CAUTION: Adrenal insufficiency may occur when transferring patients from systemic steroids (see WARNINGS, Prescribing Information).
  • A reduction in growth velocity in growing children and teenagers may occur as a result of inadequate control of chronic diseases such as asthma or from use of corticosteroids for treatment

* The relationship of better lung deposition and particle size to clinical efficacy is unknown.

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References

  1. Price D, Martin RJ, Barnes N, et al. Prescribing practices and asthma control with hydrofluoroalkane-beclomethasone and fluticasone: a real-world observational study. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010;126(3):511-518. 2
  2. Leach C, Colice GL, Luskin A. Particle size of inhaled corticosteroids: does it matter? J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009;124(6)(suppl):S88-S93.
  3. Cripps A, Riebe M, Schulze M, Woodhouse R. Pharmaceutical transition to non-CFC pressurized metered dose inhalers. Respir Med. 2000;94(suppl B):S3-S9.
  4. Leach CL, Davidson PJ, Hasselquist BE, Boudreau RJ. Lung deposition of hydrofluoroalkane-134a beclomethasone is greater than that of chlorofluorocarbon fluticasone and chlorofluorocarbon balkanization: a crossover study in healthy volunteers. Chest. 2002;122(2):510-516.
  5. QVAR® (beclomethasone dipropionate HFA) Prescribing Information, Teva Respiratory LLC; 2010.
  6. Flovent® (fluticasone propionate inhalation aerosol) Prescribing Information, GlaxoSmithKline; 2010.
  7. Data on file, Teva Respiratory, LLC; 2010.
  8. NHLBI Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR3): Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.htm. Accessed April 20, 2010.
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