QVAR® (beclomethasone dipropionate HFA) Asthma Control Inhaler

QVAR® DOSING

QVAR® Dosing for Adults and Children

QVAR® is available in two strengths: a 40 µg/inhalation canister and an 80 µg/inhalation canister. The table below provides recommended dosing for patients who have been previously treated with a bronchodilator alone and are new to ICS therapy, or those who are switching to QVAR® from another inhaled corticosteroid. National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) guidelines recommend using the lowest dose of ICS that maintains asthma control.1

Recommended QVAR® dosing for adults and adolescents age 12 and older2

Patient’s Previous Therapy Recommended Starting Dose Highest Recommended Dose
Bronchodilators Alone 40 to 80 µg twice daily 320 µg twice daily
Inhaled Corticosteroids 40 to 160 µg twice daily 320 µg twice daily

Recommended QVAR® dosing for children 5 to 11 years2

Patient’s Previous Therapy Recommended Starting Dose Highest Recommended Dose
Bronchodilators Alone 40 µg twice daily 80 µg twice daily
Inhaled Corticosteroids 40 µg twice daily 80 µg twice daily
Asthma Inhaler from QVAR® with packaging

Unlike ICSs that are formulated as suspensions, QVAR® is a solution, which offers several advantages:

  • QVAR® is not susceptible to particle separation, so it delivers a consistent amount of medication for up to 120 actuations3
  • QVAR® delivers a higher proportion of respirable particles (i.e., particles that are <5 μm in diameter) than ICS suspension formulations4
  • QVAR® doesn’t need shaking between actuations2
Solution vs Suspension

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. 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.
  2. QVAR® (beclomethasone dipropionate HFA) Prescribing Information. Teva Respiratory, LLC; 2010.
  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, Bethke TD, Boudreau RJ, et al. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional imaging show ciclesonide has high hung deposition and peripheral distribution: a nonrandomized study in healthy volunteers. J Aerosol Med. 2006;19(2):117-126.
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