FDA Drug Info Rounds, July 2010: Long-Acting Beta-Agonists (LABAs)

Long-Acting Beta-Agonists (LABAs), a class of medications used for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), now have new recommendations in their drug label intended to promote their safe use in the treatment of asthma. The agency required manufacturers to revise their drug labels because of an increased risk of severe exacerbation of asthma symptoms, leading to hospitalizations, in pediatric and adult patients, as well as death in some patients using LABAs for the treatment of asthma.

FDA believes that when LABAs are used according to the recommendations outlined above and in the approved drug labels, the benefits of LABAs in improving asthma symptoms outweigh their risks of increasing severe asthma exacerbations and deaths from asthma.

For more information, please see our website:
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/HealthProfessionals/ucm211957.htm

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Long-acting beta-agonists
• LABA
• LABAs
• Asthma
• Salmeterol
• Exacerbation
• Corticosteroid
• Inhaler
• Death
• Medication Guide