QVAR® (beclomethasone dipropionate HFA) Asthma Control Inhaler

ASTHMA CONTROL FOR
LARGE AND SMALL AIRWAYS

Small Airways and Inflammation

The small airways in the lungs can be sites of chronic inflammation in patients with asthma.1 As a result, the airways can undergo irreversible structural changes.2 Treating inflammation in the small airways may improve lung function,1 contribute to asthma control,1,3 and reduce the severity of asthma attacks in response to triggers.3 If an ICS does not reach or treat both the large and small airways, underlying chronic inflammation may persist.4,5

Studies have shown thickened, inflamed small airways in asthma instead of normal lung airways.

QVAR® Inhaled Corticosteroid (ICS) Particle Size

QVAR® is a small-particle inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) that can help patients with mild to moderate persistent asthma control their symptoms.6 The mean particle size of QVAR® is 1.1 µm, meaning that QVAR® distributes throughout the large and small airways.1,7-8*

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

Indication

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.

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

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).

References

  1. Martin RJ. Therapeutic significance of distal airway inflammation in asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunology. 2002; 109(2):S447-S460.
  2. Hyde DM, Hamid Q, Irvin CG. Anatomy, pathology, and physiology of the tracheobronchial tree: emphasis on the distal airways. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009;124(6 Suppl):S72-77.
  3. 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.
  4. Leach CL, Davidson PJ, Hasselquist BE, Boudreau RJ. Lung deposition of hydrofluoroalkane-134a beclomethasone is greater than that of chlorofluorocarbon fluticasone and chlorofluorocarbon beclomethasone: a cross-over study in healthy volunteers. Chest. 2002;122:510-516.
  5. Gelfand EW, Kraft M. The importance and features of the distal airways in children and adults. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009 Dec;124(6 Suppl):S84-7.
  6. QVAR® (beclomethasone dipropionate HFA) Prescribing Information. Teva Respiratory, LLC; 2010.
  7. Leach CL. Effect of formulation parameters on hydrofluoroalkane-beclomethasone dipropionate drug deposition in humans. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1999;104:S250-S252.
  8. Leach C, Colice GL, Luskin A. Particle size of inhaled corticosteroids: does it matter? J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009;124:S88-S93.
  9. Mauad T, Silva LFF, Santos MA, et al. Abnormal alveolar attachments with decreased elastic fiber content in distal lung in fatal asthma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2004;170(8):857-862.
121728