QVAR 100 MICROGRAMS AUTOHALER - patient leaflet, side effects, dosage

1. what qvar autohaler is and what it is used for

Qvar Autohaler contains beclometasone dipropionate, which is one of a group of medicines known as corticosteroids.

Qvar Autohaler is used to prevent the symptoms of mild, moderate, or severe asthma in patients who require regular treatment.

How your medicine works

• Qvar Autohaler works deep in your lungs to make breathing easier by reducing the inflammation, swelling and irritation in the airways. This type of medicine is known as a ‘preventer’. It needs to be taken regularly every day, even if you have no symptoms.
• This inhaler will not give immediate relief of wheezing or breathlessness during a sudden asthma attack. You will need to use a ‘reliever’ inhaler, which contains a different medicine. You should still continue to use this inhaler.

2. what you need to know before you use qvar autohaler

Do not use Qvar Autohaler:

• if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to beclometasone dipropionate or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
• if you are allergic to other similar inhalers.
• if you are suffering from a sudden attack of breathlessness. It will not help. Use a quick-acting ‘reliever’ inhaler for this purpose and carry it with you at all times.

Warnings and precautions

Talk to your doctor before using Qvar Autohaler if:

• you are suffering from tuberculosis (TB) now or have suffered from it in the past.
• you are allergic to other similar inhalers.
• you must avoid alcohol for any reason.
• your asthma seems to be getting worse. Perhaps you are more wheezy and short of breath than usual, your ‘reliever’ inhaler seems to be less effective, you require more puffs from your ‘reliever’ inhaler than usual, or you do not seem to be getting better. Your doctor may need to increase the dose of your steroid inhaler or give you a course of steroid tablets, or change your treatment altogether. If you have had an infection in your chest your doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics.
• when transferring from steroid tablets to an inhaler you find that, even if your chest is getting better, you feel generally unwell, you develop a rash, eczema or a runny nose and sneezing (rhinitis). Do not stop treatment with your inhaler unless your doctor tells you to.

Important points to remember while you are using this medicine:

• Your doctor may prescribe this inhaler to replace steroid tablets, which may mean for a short time you have to take both medicines. It is important to follow your doctor’s advice. Whilst you are reducing the number of steroid tablets that you take you may feel generally unwell even though you can breathe as well as normal or better. If you have other allergies you may find that stopping your steroid tablets makes them worse. If this happens keep using your inhaler and tell your doctor.
• If you have been treated for a long time with high doses of inhaled steroid, you may require a course of steroid tablets or possibly a steroid injection in times of stress. For example, during admission to hospital after a serious accident, before an operation, during an acute attack of asthma or if you have a chest infection or other serious illness. Your doctor will decide if you need any extra steroid treatment and will also advise you as to how long you need to take the course of steroid tablets and how you should reduce these as you get better.
• There may be times when you need to take steroid tablets as well as using your inhaler, for example if you have worsening asthma attacks, you get a chest infection or you need an operation. Your doctor may give you a small supply of steroid tablets to be taken in these situations; if he/she does you will be given full instructions on how and when to take them. Contact your doctor immediately if you think that you need to take steroid tablets, even if you have your own supply.
• You should have been given a steroid card with this inhaler; if you have not, please ask your pharmacist for one. Make sure you carry your steroid card with you at all times until your doctor decides that it is no longer necessary.
• Visit your doctor regularly for a review of your condition.
• If you have to go into hospital, remember to take all your inhalers and other medicines including those bought without prescription with you.
• Contact your doctor if you experience blurred vision or other visual disturbances.

Other medicines and Qvar Autohaler

• Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including any medicines obtained without a prescription.

In particular tell your doctor if you are taking:

• Disulfiram
• Metronidazole

Some medicines may increase the effects of Qvar Autohaler and your doctor may wish to monitor you carefully if you are taking these medicines (including some medicines for HIV: ritonavir, cobicistat).

Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility

• If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or are breast-feeding, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine.

Driving and using machines

• Qvar Autohaler is not known to affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.

Important information about some of the ingredients of Qvar:

Qvar contains a small amount of alcohol. Talk to your doctor if you need to avoid alcohol for any reason.

3. how to use qvar autohaler

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.

There are two strengths of the Qvar Autohaler available and your doctor will have chosen the strength which best suits your condition.

This inhaler has a softer feel and a different taste than other inhalers you may have used before. This inhaler is an extra fine aerosol which results in more of each dose being delivered to your lungs. Your doctor may, therefore, prescribe a lower dose of this inhaler than your previously used inhaler.

Even when your doctor has prescribed a lower dose, you may find that the number of puffs you are asked to take from this inhaler is the same as from your previous inhaler; this is because this inhaler may be a lower strength product (which means that each puff of this inhaler contains less beclometasone dipropionate than your old inhaler).

Do not take more puffs than your doctor has told you to. In some circumstances, your doctor may prescribe more than the usual number of puffs. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. The usual number of puffs to take is:

Qvar 50 Autohaler

• Adults (including the elderly) and adolescents over 12 years Mild Asthma

The starting dose is one puff twice a day. This may be increased up to two puffs twice a day.

• Moderate Asthma

The starting dose is two puffs twice a day. This may be increased up to four puffs twice a day.

• Severe Asthma

The starting dose is four puffs twice a day. This may be increased up to eight puffs twice a day.

The maximum dose is a total of sixteen puffs a day.

Qvar 100 Autohaler

Adults (including the elderly) and adolescents over 12 years

• Mild Asthma

The Qvar 100 Autohaler is not suitable for the starting dose. It is suitable for an increased dose of one puff twice a day.

• Moderate Asthma

The starting dose is one puff twice a day. This may be increased to two puffs twice a day.

• Severe Asthma