ARIAL ® Salmeterol

ARIAL ® is a drug based on Salmeterol Xinafoate

THERAPEUTIC GROUP: Adrenergics for aerosols

IndicationsAction mechanismStudies and clinical effectiveness Usage and dosage instructionsWarnings Pregnancy and lactationInteractionsContraindicationsUndesirable effects

Indications ARIAL ® Salmeterol

ARIAL ® is indicated for the treatment of bronchospastic states, such as those with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, for which therapy with long-acting beta2 agonists is required.

Mechanism of action ARIAL ® Salmeterol

ARIAL ® is a medicinal specialty based on Salmeterol, an active ingredient belonging to the category of selective long-acting agonists of the Beta 2 Adrenergic receptors of which it is also the progenitor.

Once inhaled, Salmeterol carries out its therapeutic activity locally through more or less characterized action mechanisms.

In fact, with the classical agonist activity against Beta 2 adrenergic receptors, useful to determine a relaxation of the bronchial smooth muscle, and a consequent bronchodilation prolonged in time, the Salmeterol, through action mechanisms not yet clarified, seems to reduce also the release of mediators chemicals such as histamine, leukotrienes and prostaglandin D2, thus hypothesizing a basic biological activity on the disease.

The very low systemic absorption of Salmeterol that follows the inhalation of ARIAL ® also allows to significantly limit the potential side effects, thus making the therapy safe as well as effective.

Studies carried out and clinical efficacy

HEMORRAGIC CYSTITIS FROM SALMETEROL AND SALBUTAMOLO

Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2011 Nov; 67 (11): 1203-4. doi: 10.1007 / s00228-011-1068-6. Epub 2011 Jun 3.

Radice S, Milanesi A, Antoniazzi S, Perrone V, Carnovale C, Clementi E.

Case report reporting a rare side effect following salbutamol and salmeterol therapy such as hemorrhagic cystitis.

These evidences underline the importance of medical supervision during the entire treatment.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SALMETEROL IN COMBINED ASTHMA THERAPY

Allergy Asthma Proc. 2011 Mar-Apr; 32 (2): 127-36. doi: 10.2500 / aap.2011.32.3426. Epub 2010 Dec 28.

Katial RK, Bernstein D, Prazma CM, Lincourt WR, Stempel DA.

Yet another study that demonstrates how the combined treatment between a glucorticoid and a beta 2 agonist such as Salmeterol can determine a better control of the asthmatic pathology than the monotherapy, determining among other things a clear improvement in the patient's clinical conditions.

SALMETEROL IN THE TREATMENT OF ASTHMA

Allergy Asthma Proc. 2010 Sep-Oct; 31 (5): 415-21. doi: 10.2500 / aap.2010.31.3362.

Murray CS, Custovic A, Lowe LA, Aldington S, Williams M, Beasley R, Woodcock A.

Study demonstrating that the addition of Salmeterol to Fluticasone may result in a marked improvement in ventilatory capacities in pediatric patients with moderate and severe persistent asthma.

Method of use and dosage

ARIAL ®

Inhalation powder of 72.5 mcg of Salmeterol Xinafoate (equal to 50 mcg of Salmeterol) per dose.

ARIAL ® therapy should be defined and modulated by your doctor based on the patient's general health condition and the severity of the present clinical condition.

The doctor's goal would be to institute therapy with the minimum doses necessary to produce a therapeutic result.

Generally both in COPD and in Asthma the most commonly used dosage in adults is that of an inhalation of 50 mcg of Salmeterol twice a day.

ARIAL ® Salmeterol warnings

Medical supervision is necessary both in the phases of defining therapy with ARIAL ® and in the subsequent therapeutic process, in order to correct and adapt therapy based on the onset of potential side effects, the reduction or aggravation of the complained symptomatology, to onset of contextual pathological pictures or the presence of comorbidities.

Particular caution in the use of ARIAL ® should be reserved for patients suffering from thyrotoxicosis, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, advanced age and malnutrition.

It should also be remembered that the kinetics of action of Salmeterol is not suitable for the treatment of acute asthma episodes, for which instead it would be appropriate to resort to beta 2 agonist drugs with greater speed of action.

ARIAL ® contains lactose among its excipients, therefore its use is contraindicated in patients with lactase, galactosemia or glucose / galactose malabsorption syndrome.

It is also useful to remember that the use of Beta2agonists without clinical necessity is prohibited in and out of the race.

PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING

As already mentioned in the previous paragraph, the use of ARIAL ® during pregnancy and in the subsequent lactation period is generally contraindicated due to the absence of clinical trials able to fully characterize the safety profile of Salmeterol for fetal health and of the infant.

Interactions

The patient receiving ARIAL ® should avoid the simultaneous use of selective and non-selective Beta blockers or drugs with hypokalemia activity.

Furthermore, although the systemic absorption of Salmeterol is minimal and clinically irrelevant, it would be advisable in any case to avoid the simultaneous use of inducers or inhibitors of the cytochromial system, in order to reduce possible variations of its pharmacokinetic properties.

Contraindications ARIAL ® Salmeterol

The use of ARIAL ® is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to the active substance or to one of its excipients, in children under the age of 4 years and during pregnancy and lactation.

Undesirable effects - Side effects

Therapy with ARIAL ® exposes the patient to possible adverse reactions fortunately transitory such as irritation of the throat, hoarseness, sinusitis, headache, tremors and palpitations

Fortunately, the most clinically relevant systemic adverse reactions that may cause concern may be rarer.