Trelegy Ellipta vs Symbicort

Trelegy Ellipta and Symbicort are brand names for prescription drugs used for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma in adults.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPDs) are a group of diseases that cause long-term breathing problems and reduced airflow, like chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Asthma is an inflammatory disease that also inflames and constricts your lungs and airways. This can make it harder to breathe, make your chest feel tight, and make you cough and wheeze.

Trelegy Ellipta and Symbicort are not fast-acting medications and will not replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing issues. Examples of rescue inhalers include albuterol (Ventolin HFA, ProAir) and levalbuterol (Xopenex). Here we explain how they work, their similarities, differences, side effects, and more. This should provide you with the basics to better understand your options.

What is Trelegy Ellipta?

Trelegy Ellipta is an FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approved medication manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). It is the first FDA-approved, single inhaler, triple therapy for once-daily maintenance treatment of both asthma and COPD in the U.S.

Approval of Trelegy Ellipta is based on clinical trials showing it improved lung function, COPD exacerbations, and quality of life more than AstraZeneca’s long-established two-drug inhaler Symbicort,

Trelegy Ellipta is an inhaled medication prescribed to adults to reduce the daily symptoms and the likelihood of flare-ups of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It helps to reduce inflammation and relax your airways and lungs, opening them up and making it easier for you to breathe. Trelegy combines three active ingredients called fluticasone furoate, umeclidinium, and vilanterol. They work together to help you breathe more easily and to reduce your asthma and COPD symptoms.

Fluticasone furoate is an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) that reduces inflammation in your airways and lungs. It works by attaching to the surface of cells in your airways and lungs at sites called glucocorticoid receptors. This stimulates the receptors, making the cells produce less of the substances that trigger inflammation and more of the substances that reduce inflammation.

Umeclidinium is an anticholinergic bronchodilator, also known as a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), that relaxes the muscles in your airways and lungs. It works by attaching to muscarinic receptors on the surface of your muscle cells. This blocks the receptors, stopping them from being stimulated, causing your muscle tissue to relax, and opening up your airways and lungs.

Vilanterol is classed as a long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA). It also helps to relax the muscle tissue in your airways and lungs. It attaches to receptors on the surface of your muscle tissue called beta-adrenoreceptors, which stimulate the receptors, causing the muscle tissue to relax.

Trelegy Ellipta dosage

Trelegy Ellipta is available as a dry powder inhaler. The inhaler contains 2 foil blister strips of powder for oral inhalation. One strip contains fluticasone furoate 100 mcg per blister and the other contains umeclidinium/vilanterol 62.5 mcg/25 mcg per blister.

Trelegy Ellipta is a once-daily medication used to treat COPD, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. Trelegy is not a fast-acting medication and will not replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems.

Please read the prescribing information provided with your medication and always speak with a healthcare professional about any changes to your dose so they can monitor and evaluate your condition.

What is Symbicort?

Symbicort (budesonide/formoterol) is an FDA-approved medication manufactured by AstraZeneca used to treat asthma in adults and children aged 12 and over, as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adults. The medication comes as a dry powder which is inhaled using an inhaler device called a Turbohaler. You usually take the medicine once a day to prevent symptoms from occurring. It can be taken as a preventative measure before an activity that causes you breathing problems, such as before sport. If you have a sudden attack of symptoms, you should use a relief inhaler, rather than Symbicort.

Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the lungs and airways; it can cause your chest to tighten and make it difficult to breathe. COPD is a condition that also affects the lungs and makes it hard to breathe. Symbicort assists with both of these conditions by reducing inflammation and by relaxing the muscles in the lungs and airways. This helps to reduce the feeling of tightening in your chest and makes it easier for you to breathe.

Symbicort has two active ingredients: budesonide and formoterol fumarate dihydrate. Formoterol fumarate dihydrate is a long-acting beta-agonist, and a bronchodilator, and relaxes the muscles in your airways, making it easier to breathe. Budesonide is an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) that reduces inflammation in the lungs. When both are used in combination, they reduce the incidence of asthma symptoms and can help manage the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Symbicort dosage

Symbicort is available as a metered-dose inhaler in the following doses: 80 mcg/4.5 mcg per actuation, 160 mcg/4.5 mcg per actuation.

Common side effects of Trelegy Ellipta and Symbicort

The most common side effects of Trelegy Ellipta in clinical trials include:

• Headaches
• Sore throat, cough
• Stuffy or runny nose
• Muscle and joint pain
• Back pain
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea, vomiting
• Diarrhea, constipation
• Painful and frequent urination
• Fungal infections (candida/thrush) in your mouth and throat – this is less likely if you rinse your mouth out with water after taking your Trelegy Ellipta
• Increase in upper respiratory tract infections, like the common cold, the flu, and sinus infections
• Bronchitis
• Changes in taste

More serious side effects of Trelegy Ellipta include:

• Life-threatening allergic reactions including rashes, itching, swelling in your face, tongue, and throat, chest pain, and shortness of breath
• An increased risk of developing pneumonia if you also have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• A weakened immune system
• Adrenal insufficiency
• Sudden worsening of your asthma symptoms, including asthma attacks (paradoxical bronchospasm)
• Increased blood pressure
• Fast and/or irregular heartbeat
• Osteoporosis
• An increased risk of eye problems, including glaucoma, cataracts, and blurred vision
• Slowed rates of growth in children

The most common side effects of Symbicort in clinical trials include:

• Mild sore throat and coughing
• Headaches
• Trembling and shaking
• Pneumonia
• Thrush infections

More serious side effects of Symbicort include

• Disturbed sleep
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Muscle cramps
• Blurred vision

These aren’t all the side effects Trelegy Ellipta or Symbicort can cause. You can find more details in the patient leaflet with your medication. Talk to your physician or pharmacist if you have any concerns about side effects.

Trelegy Ellipta and Symbicort drug interactions

Trelegy Ellipta can interact with other medications. These include:

• Anticholinergic – tiotropium, ipratropium, or aclidinium
• Long-acting beta agonists (LABA) – salmeterol, formoterol, arformoterol, olodaterol, or indacaterol
• Other medications that contain steroids
• Any medications taken to treat bacterial, viral, or fungal infections, including an HIV infection, such as ketoconazole, itraconazole, ritonavir, nelfinavir, or cobicistat

Symbicort can interact with other medications. These include:

• Other medications to treat asthma or other breathing problems
• Beta-blockers
• Medications for a fast or uneven heartbeat
• Medications to treat heart failure, like digoxin
• Diuretics
• Steroids taken orally
• Tricyclic antidepressants
• HIV-protease inhibitors
• Medications for thyroid problems
• Medications to treat Parkinson’s disease

Trelegy Ellipta and Symbicort can interact with other medications. This can change how Trelegy Ellipta and Drug 2 and other medications work and can make side effects more likely. Tell your prescribing physician about all your drugs, including vitamins and dietary supplements.

Trelegy Ellipta and Symbicort contraindications

You should not use Trelegy Ellipta if you:

• Are allergic to the active ingredient fluticasone furoate, umeclidinium, or vilanterol
• Are allergic to any of the other ingredients in Trelegy Ellipta
• Have a severe milk protein allergy
• Are taking another medication that contains long-acting beta-agonists (LABA) or an anticholinergic active ingredient
• Are under 18 years of age

Talk to your doctor before using Trelegy Ellipta if you:

• Have any heart problems
• Have any problems with your immune system
• Have any liver problems
• Have high blood pressure
• Suffer from seizures
• Have diabetes
• Have any eye problems, including cataracts or glaucoma
• Have osteoporosis
• Have any thyroid problems
• Have or have ever had any problems with your adrenal glands
• Have an active infection
• Have recently been around someone who has measles or chickenpox
• Have a mild to moderate milk protein allergy
• Have any prostate or bladder problems, or problems passing urine
• Are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant
• Are breastfeeding or are planning to breastfeed

You should not use Symbicort if you:

• Are allergic to the active ingredients budesonide or formoterol fumarate dihydrate
• Are allergic to any of the other ingredients found in Symbicort (listed in the leaflet which comes with the medication)
• Are under 12 years of age (for treating asthma )
• Are under 18 years of age (for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

Talk to your doctor before using Symbicort if you:

• Are diabetic
• Have a lung infection
• Have severe liver problems
• Have high blood pressure
• Have or have had any heart problems, like narrowing of the arteries, an uneven heartbeat, or heart failure
• Have problems with your adrenal glands or thyroid
• Have low levels of potassium in your blood
• Have an intolerance to any sugars
• Are pregnant or are breastfeeding

Other drugs for Asthma or COPD

• Anoro Ellipta
• Breo Ellipta
• Dulera
• Incruse Ellipta
• Advair Diskus
• Spiriva

If you have any concerns about Trelegy Ellipta or Symbicort side effects, talk to your physician, or pharmacist for medical advice. Also inform your healthcare provider about any medical conditions, supplements, and over-the-counter meds you are taking. You are also encouraged to report side effects to the FDA: visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.