Most common
More serious
Most common
More serious
Serious interactions
Corticosteroids – dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, prednisolone
You should not use Symbicort if you:
You should talk to your doctor before using Symbicort if you:
You should not use Advair if you:
You should talk to your doctor before using Advair if you:
2 puffs twice daily
Twice daily
1 inhalation aerosol (160 mcg-4.5 mcg/inh) 120 doses will cost around $280
Advair HFA inhalation aerosol (CFC free 115 mcg-21 mcg/inh) will cost around $240
Having a good grasp of the medication you are taking and how it works will give you more confidence in managing your Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The number of prescription medications available to treat Asthma and (COPD) is long, plus the huge variety of inhalers available can make things confusing at first. No single asthma or COPD treatment is best for everyone and what works for one person may not work for another. Combination products, containing a corticosteroid and long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonists (LABA) to treat asthma and COPD are popular choices. Let us take a look at two combination medications Symbicort vs. Advair – how they both work, their common side effects, drug interactions, and more.
Symbicort is the brand name of a drug manufactured by AstraZeneca. It is used to treat asthma and COPD in adults and children 12 years and above. Symbicort contains two active ingredients; budesonide and formoterol and are presented in a metered-dose inhaler.
Advair is the brand name of an FDA-approved drug manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. It contains two active ingredients; fluticasone propionate and salmeterol.
There are two varieties of Advair;
Advair HFA – is a metered-dose inhaler that delivers an inhalation aerosol into the lungs. The propellant helps the drug reach your lungs.
Advair Diskus – is a circular metered dose inhaler that delivers an inhalation powder that requires you to breathe in quickly and deeply to help the medication reach your lungs.
Symbicort and Advair work in the same way but contain different active ingredients. They are classed as combination products containing two different drugs. One drug is an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) often referred to as a steroid, the other drug is a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) often referred to as a bronchodilator. A corticosteroid works by reducing inflammation in the lungs and LABA’s works by relaxing the muscles around the airways in your lungs and easing your breathing.
The drug combination in Advair is fluticasone/salmeterol and comes in three different strengths. The drug combination in Symbicort is budesonide/formoterol and comes in two different strengths.
Symbicort is approved to treat:
Symbicort comes in two different strengths:
Advair HFA is approved to treat:
Advair HFA comes in three different strengths:
Advair Diskus is approved to treat:
Advair Diskus comes in three different strengths:
It is important to note that Symbicort and Advair are maintenance inhalers and should never be used as rescue inhalers. Your healthcare provider will provide you with a rescue inhaler containing a short-acting bronchodilator such as albuterol, which works immediately during an asthma attack.
These drugs are usually very well-tolerated with few side effects as it is delivered directly to the lungs. Common side effects for both drugs include oral thrush and respiratory tract infections. Some differences between them:
Taking Advair may cause muscle and bone pain, hoarseness, cough, and bronchitis. Symbicort may cause sinusitis, stuffy nose, flu, back pain, and stomach issues. Symbicort and Advair can also cause problems if you have certain health issues such as
This is not a complete list and medical advice should be taken from your healthcare provider. Always inform your doctor of medicines you use, including over-the-counter drugs, herbal products, and supplements. If you have trouble inhaling from any device your doctor can help you with your technique or provide you with a spacer.
These drugs are prescribed for daily use and are very effective when used this way. They work in similar ways to treat asthma and COPD but their active ingredients and the actual devices are different. There have not been any head-to-head studies done with these drugs but one randomized, double-blind clinical trial found that the active ingredients in Symbicort and Advair provide similar improvements in lung function, asthma control days, and asthma-related quality of life.
Asthma and COPD are serious chronic diseases that require medication for people to continue to breathe properly. Asthma is a lung condition where the airways become inflamed which causes them to narrow and swell. This results in shortness of breath and wheezing. The cause of an asthma attack is usually an allergic reaction and normally develops in childhood. (COPD) is a group of lung diseases that cause breathing problems. The two most common are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. They normally occur later on in life and occur in people who smoke or those who used to smoke.
Other combination drugs that are similar to Symbicort and Advair are Dulera (mometasone/formoterol), and Breo (fluticasone/vilanterol). These inhalers may work similarly to Symbicort and Advair, but they are not considered their equivalents.
Asthma and COPD are respiratory conditions that need long-term treatment to keep symptoms under control. Doctors normally prescribe Symbicort as two puffs twice a day, morning and evening, 12 hours apart. Symbicort is considered a maintenance medication.
There is an increased risk of oral thrush due to the steroid drug in Symbicort and Advair. This is why you are advised to rinse your mouth with water after each use of the inhaler. Spacers are sometimes attached to metered-dose inhalers to help reduce the risk of oral thrush. Your pharmacist can show you how to use a spacer correctly.
