DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i08.049

Pages: 2986-2990

Asthma is a heterogeneous disease, usually characterized by chronic airway inflammation. It is defined by the history of respiratory symptoms such as wheeze, shortness of breath, chest tightness and cough that vary over time and in intensity, together with variable expiratory airflow limitation. Formoterol is a long-acting (12 hours) beta2-agonist used in the management of asthma and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Inhaled formoterol works like other beta2-agonists, causing broncho dilatation through relaxation of the smooth muscle in the airway so as to treat the exacerbation of asthma. Budesonide is a glucocorticoid used in the management of asthma, the treatment of various skin disorders, and allergic rhinitis. The extended release oral tablet, marketed as Uceris, was FDA approved on January 14, 2013 for the management of ulcerative colitis. Budesonide is provided as a mixture of two epimers (22R and 22S). Interestingly, the 22R form is two times more active than the 22S epimer. Salmeterol is a long-acting β2 adrenergic receptor agonist (LABA) used in the maintenance and prevention of asthma symptoms and maintenance of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms. Fluticasone is a synthetic glucocorticoid. It prevents the release of substances in the body that cause inflammation.