From: wrean@cco.caltech.edu (Patricia Rose Wrean)
Archive-name: medicine/asthma/medications
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 19 Feb 1995, 1996
Version: 3.5
alt.support.asthma FAQ: Asthma Medications
===========================================
This FAQ attempts to list the most commonly prescribed medications
for the prevention and treatment of asthma, both in the U.S. and
overseas. It is maintained by Patricia Wrean .
The following information came from two sources: most of the
drugs available in the U.S. are listed in the 1994 Physician's
Desk Reference (full citation at end of post); the remainder
of the information, including those medications available
overseas, came from the many helpful contributors listed at the
end of the post. If you do not wish your name to be included
in the contributors list, please state that explicitly when
contributing. Also, if I have left anyone's name out, please let
me know so that I may include it.
** Although the maintainer and contributors do their best to keep
this FAQ updated, it is by no means an authoritative work.
Asthma is a serious illness requiring supervision by a
physician. Please do not attempt to change your medication
regime without consulting your doctor.
Corrections, additions, and comments are requested; please include
the name of the country in which the medication is available, as
it isn't always obvious from the user-id. If the drug is available
as an inhaler, please specify it as a MDI or one of the other types
mentioned in the glossary, or add a description of the inhaler if
it is not present already.
Abbreviations are explained in the glossary at the end of the table.
If the medication is followed by a country name in brackets, then
to the best of my knowledge it is only available in that country,
and not in the U.S.
If the drug is available in a nasal form for allergies, I've
included it for completeness. I haven't covered oral steroids,
only inhaled, or antihistamines at the present time.
+ = added since last version
& = updated/corrected since last version
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Type of drug
Chemical name Brand name Comments
---------------------- ---------- --------
Anti-inflammatory,
non-steroidal
cromolyn sodium Intal available as MDI,
(called sodium capsules for Spinhaler,
cromoglycate neb soln
in UK) Nasalcrom nasal spray
nedocromil Tilade MDI
Tilade Mint MDI (UK)
sodium cromoglycate -- see cromolyn sodium
Anti-inflammatory,
steroidal (inhaled)
beclomethasone Beclovent MDI
dipropionate Beclodisk diskhaler (Can)
Becloforte MDI (Can, Sw), larger
dose than Beclovent
Becotide MDI (UK)
Beconase nasal MDI
Beconase AQ nasal spray
Respocort MDI, autohaler (NZ)
Vanceril MDI
Vancenase Pockethaler (nasal MDI)
Vancenase AQ nasal spray
budesonide Pulmicort turbuhaler (Aus, Can)
neb soln (UK)
Rhinocort nasal inhaler (US),
nasal turbuhaler (Can)
Nebuamp neb soln (Can)
dexamethasone Decadron Respihaler
sodium phosphate Phosphate
flunisolide Aerobid MDI
Aerobid-M MDI, with menthol as
flavouring agent
Bronalide nasal turbuhaler (Can)
Nasalide nasal spray
Rhinalar nasal spray (Can)
fluticasone Flixotide MDI (UK)
proprionate diskhaler (UK)
triamcinolone Azmacort MDI
acetonide Nasacort nasal MDI
Anticholinergics (bronchodilators)
ipratropium Atrovent MDI, inh soln
bromide
Beta-agonists (bronchodilators)
albuterol* Airet inh soln
(salbutamol is Proventil MDI, inh soln, syrup,
WHO recommended tablets,
name generally Repetabs (SA tablets)
in use outside Respolin MDI, autohaler (NZ)
the U.S.) Ventolin MDI, inh soln, syrup,
neb soln, tablets,
Rotacaps for Rotahaler
Ventodisk diskhaler (Can, UK)
Volmax ER tablets
* MDI uses albuterol, all other forms (tablets, etc.)
use albuterol sulfate
bitolterol mesylate Tornalate MDI
ephedrine Ephedrine inh soln (Can)
epinephrine Bronkaid Mist MDI, OTC - epinephrine
in form of nitrate
and hydrochloride
Bronkaid Mist MDI, OTC - epinephrine
Suspension in form of bitartrate
Medihaler-Epi MDI, OTC - epinephrine
in form of bitartrate
Primatene Mist MDI, OTC
Primatene Mist MDI, OTC - epinephrine
Suspension in form of bitartrate
Sus-Phrine injection
fenoterol Berotec MDI, inh soln, tablets
hydrobromide (Can, Aus, NZ)
+ isoetharine Bronkosol inh soln
+ hydrochloride Bronkometer MDI
Isoetharine inh soln
Arm-a-Med
isoproterenol Medihaler-Iso MDI
sulfate Isuprel MDI, neb soln (Can) --
as hydrochloride
metaproterenol Alupent MDI, inh soln, tablets,
sulfate neb soln, syrup
Metaprel MDI, inh soln, syrup,
tablets
Metaproterenol inh soln
Sulfate
Arm-a-Med
pirbuterol acetate Maxair MDI, autohaler
procaterol HCl Pro-Air MDI (Can)
salbutamol -- see albuterol
salmeterol Serevent MDI
xinafoate diskhaler (UK)
terbutaline Brethaire MDI
sulfate Brethine tablets, neb soln,
injection
Bricanyl tablets, injection
turbuhaler (Aus)
Xanthines (bronchodilators)
theophylline Aerolate TD capsules, liquid
Quibron-T tablets, SA tablets
(see also
combinations)
Respbid SR tablets
Slo-bid ER capsules
Slo-phylline ER capsules
T-Phyl CR tablets
Theo-24 ER capsules
Theo-Dur ER tablets
Theo-Dur SA capsules
Sprinkle
Theo-X tablets
Theolair tablets, SR tablets,
liquid
Uniphyl CR tablets
dyphylline** Lufyllin tablets, injection,
syrup
** similar to theophylline
oxtriphylline*** Choledyl DR tablets, SA tablets
*** oxtriphylline is the choline salt of theophylline,
and 400 mg of it is equivalent to 254 mg of
anhydrous theophylline
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Combination Medications:
Brand name Chemical names of ingredients Comments
---------- ----------------------------- --------
Asbron G theophylline sodium glycinate, elixir, tablets
guaifenesin (expectorant)
Bronkaid Caplets ephedrine sulfate, guaifenesin tablets, OTC
Congess guaifenesin, pseudoephedrine tablets
Duo-Medihaler isoproterenol hydrochloride, MDI
phenylephrine bitartrate
Duovent fenoterol hydrobromide, MDI (UK)
ipratropium bromide
Marax ephedrine sulfate, tablets
theophylline,
Atarax (hydroxyzine HCl)
Primatene Tablets theophylline, ephedrine HCl tablets, OTC
Quadrinal theophylline calcium salicylate, tablets
ephedrine HCl, phenobarbital,
potassium iodide
Rynatuss carbetapentane tannate, tablets, syrup
chlorpheniramine tannate,
ephedrine tannate,
phenylephrine tannate
Tedral theophylline, ephedrine HCl, tablets -- no longer
phenobarbital manufactured
Ventolin-Plus albuterol, beclomethasone MDI (Sw)
dipropionate
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Glossary
--------
aerosol inhalers:
MDI - metered-dose inhaler, consisting of an aerosol unit and
plastic mouthpiece
autohaler - MDI made by 3M which is activated by one's breath, and
doesn't need the breath-hand coordination that a regular
MDI does
respihaler - aerosol inhaler for Decadron (see table above). I have
no idea how this differs from the usual MDI
dry powder inhalers:
rotahaler - dry powder inhaler used with Ventolin Rotacaps (see
table above), i.e. albuterol sulfate in capsules.
Each capsule contains one dose; the inhaler opens
the capsule such that the powder may be inhaled
through the mouthpiece. Available in the U.S.,
Canada, and UK.
spinhaler - dry powder inhaler used with Intal capsules for
spinhaler. Each capsule contains one dose; the
inhaler opens the capsule such that the powder
may be inhaled through the mouthpiece. Available
in Canada, UK, and the U.S.
diskhaler - dry powder inhaler. The drug is kept in a series of
little pouches on a disk; the diskhaler punctures
the pouch and drug is inhaled through the mouthpiece.
Currently available in Canada and UK, not in U.S.
turbuhaler - dry powder inhaler. The drug is in form of a pellet;
when body of inhaler is rotated, prescribed amount of
drug is ground off this pellet. The powder is then
inhaled through a fluted aperture on top. Available
in Australia and Canada.
forms of tablets:
SA - sustained action. SA and CR (below) have been used
interchangeably and almost mean the same thing,
except SA refers to the pharmacologic action while
CR refers to the drug release process. Any drug
release which is controlled in a zero-order fashion
(constant rate of release) is generally referred to
as Sustained or Controlled Release.
CR - controlled release. See SA.
DR - delayed release. This generally refers to enteric-
coated tablets which are designed to release the drug
in the intestine where the pH is in the alkaline range.
ER - extended release. Dosage forms which are designed to
release the drug over an extended period of time,
e.g. implants which release drug over a period of
one or two months or years.
TD - time delayed. This is slightly different from DR in
that the drug release is designed to occur after a
certain period of time, e.g. pellets coated to a
certain thickness or multi-layered tablets or tablets
within a capsule or double-compressed tablets.
forms of solutions:
neb soln - nebulizer solution. Drug comes in nebules for use with
nebulizer.
inh soln - inhalation solution. Some manufacturers use this as a
synonym for neb soln; others use it to mean that drug
comes in bottle with dropper, distinct from neb soln.
country abbreviations:
Aus - Australia
Can - Canada
UK - United Kingdom
Sw - Switzerland
NZ - New Zealand
misc:
OTC - over-the-counter, all other medications are prescription-
only in the U.S.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Physicians' Desk Reference is published annually by:
Medical Economics Data Production Company
Montvale, NJ 07645-1742
ISBN 1-56363-061-3
It is a compendium of official, FDA-approved prescription
drug labeling. The FDA is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Contributors:
------------
Lawrence M. (Larry) Bezeau BEZEAU@UNB.CA
Daniel Canonica d_canonica@trzcl1.mrgate.mailer.umc.alcatel.ch
John Connett jrc@concurrent.co.uk
Mark Delany markd@bushwire.apana.org.au
Walter de Wit dewit@hamilton.niwa.cri.nz
Steve Dyer dyer@spdcc.com
Ian Ford ianford@dircon.co.uk
Susan Graham sgraham@hpb.hwc.ca
Rick Hughes richardh@Newbridge.COM
Simon Kelley srk@sanger.ac.uk
Rick Nopper nopperrw@esvax.dnet.dupont.com
Kevin A. Nunan pp000165@interramp.com
Janet Pierson JPierson@highlands.com
Matt Ray M.J.Ray@bradford.ac.uk
John Saunders John@gemini.demon.co.uk
Stephan Seillier seillier@on.bell.ca
+ John R. Strohm strohm@mksol.dseg.ti.com
John Underhay junderhay@upei.ca
David Williams exudnw@exu.ericsson.se
Travis Lee Winfrey travis.winfrey@fi.gs.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: I am not a physician; I am only a reasonably
well-informed asthmatic. This information is for
educational purposes only, and should be used only as
a supplement to, not a substitute for, professional
medical advice.
Copyright 1995, 1996 by Patricia Wrean. Permission is given to freely
copy or distribute this FAQ provided that it is distributed in full
without modification, and that such distribution is not intended for
profit.
--
Patricia Wrean wrean@caltech.edu
Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 15 Sep 2002
Copyright © 1992-2009 Psych Central. All rights reserved.
Site last updated: 3 Jul 2009
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