What is the most important information I should know about arformoterol inhalation?
Arformoterol is not a rescue medicine. It will not work fast enough to treat a bronchospasm attack.
Arformoterol may increase the risk of death or hospitalization in people with asthma, but the risk in people with COPD is not known.
Seek medical attention you have worsening breathing problems, or if you think your medications are not working as well.
What is arformoterol inhalation?
Arformoterol is a bronchodilator. It works by relaxing muscles in the airways to improve breathing.
Arformoterol inhalation is used to prevent bronchoconstriction in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Arformoterol will not treat a bronchospasm attack that has already begun.
Arformoterol may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using arformoterol inhalation?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to arformoterol.
Arformoterol may increase the risk of death or hospitalization in people with asthma, but the risk in people with COPD is not known. Talk with your doctor about your individual risk.
To make sure arformoterol inhalation is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- heart disease, high blood pressure;
- a seizure;
- diabetes;
- liver disease; or
- a thyroid disorder.
It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
It is not known whether arformoterol inhalation passes into breast milk or if it could affect the nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.
Arformoterol inhalation is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.
How should I use arformoterol inhalation?
Follow all directions on your prescription label. Do not use this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Read all patient information, medication guides, and instruction sheets provided to you. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
Arformoterol is not a rescue medicine. It will not work fast enough to treat a bronchospasm attack. Use only a fast acting inhalation medicine for an attack. Tell your doctor if it seems like your asthma medications don't work as well.
If you were switched from a short-acting bronchodilator to arformoterol inhalation, stop using the other bronchodilator and use it only for a sudden bronchospasm attack. Short-acting bronchodilators include albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin, Combivent), bitolterol (Tornalate), levalbuterol (Xopenex), metaproterenol (Alupent, Metaprel), or pirbuterol (Maxair).
Arformoterol solution for inhalation is for use only with a standard jet nebulizer machine connected to an air compressor. Do not mix arformoterol with other medicines in the nebulizer. Do not take this medicine by mouth or swallow it.
To use the solution with a nebulizer:
- Open the foil pouch and squeeze all of the medicine out into the chamber of the nebulizer. Attach the mouthpiece or face mask to the drug chamber. Then, attach the drug chamber to the compressor.
- Sit upright in a comfortable position. Place the mouthpiece into your mouth or put the face mask on, covering your nose and mouth. Turn on the compressor.
- Breathe in slowly and evenly until you have inhaled all of the medicine (usually 5 to 10 minutes). The treatment is complete when no more mist is formed by the nebulizer and the drug chamber is empty.
- Clean the nebulizer after each use. Follow the cleaning directions that came with your nebulizer.
Seek medical attention if you think your medications are not working as well.
COPD is usually treated with a combination of drugs. Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each medication. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor's advice.
Keep this medicine in the foil pouch until you are ready to use it. Once a pouch is opened, you must use the medicine right away. Throw the empty pouch away where children and pets cannot get to it.
Store the foil pouches in the refrigerator but do not allow them to freeze.
You may store the foil pouches at room temperature but you must use them within 6 weeks. Store the single-use vials at room temperature and protect them from heat and light. Do not use any medicine if it does not look clear and colorless in the vial.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Use the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of arformoterol inhalation can be fatal.
Overdose symptoms may include chest pain, fast or irregular heartbeats, nervousness, tremor, muscle cramps, feeling light-headed, and fainting.
What should I avoid while using arformoterol inhalation?
Do not use a second inhaled bronchodilator unless your doctor tells you to. This includes formoterol (Perforomist, Symbicort, Bevespi, Dulera), indacaterol (Arcapta), olodaterol (Striverdi, Stiolto Respimat), salmeterol (Advair, Serevent), or vilanterol (Breo Ellipta, Anoro Ellipta).
What are the possible side effects of arformoterol inhalation?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have;
- wheezing, choking, or other breathing problems after using this medicine;
- worsening breathing problems;
- chest pain, fast or pounding heart beats;
-
high blood sugar --increased thirst, increased urination, dry mouth, fruity breath odor, headache, blurred vision;
-
increased blood pressure --severe headache, blurred vision, pounding in your neck or ears, anxiety, nosebleed; or
-
low potassium --leg cramps, constipation, irregular heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, increased thirst or urination, numbness or tingling, muscle weakness or limp feeling.
Common side effects may include:
- chest pain, trouble breathing;
- back pain;
- diarrhea;
- leg cramps;
- skin rash;
- swelling in your hands or feet;
- stuffy nose; or
- flu symptoms.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect arformoterol inhalation?
Other drugs may interact with arformoterol, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist can provide more information about arformoterol inhalation.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2018 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 3.01. Revision date: 12/26/2017.
