For the treatment of inflammatory processes in the human body in acute and chronic form, several types of drugs are used. Some are non-steroidal nature, others are directly related to hormones.
What does the drug affect?
The last group of drugs that effectively treat inflammation is flucaticasone furoate. This trifluorinated compound is synthetically prepared. By its nature, this substance belongs to the hormones of the glucocorticosteroid group. The drug component has a fairly pronounced anti-inflammatory effect.
Having a high level of affinity for glucocorticoid receptors, it acts on different types of cells, such as macrophages, lymphocytes, eosinophils and others.
Inflammatory mediators, namely chemokines and cytokines, are also affected.
How does it enter the body?
The peculiarity of this drug is that flucaticasone furoate cannot be fully absorbed by the body, as it is metabolized by the liver. Therefore, the substance is characterized by a weak systemic effect.
The following forms of use of this drug are distinguished:
- Intranasal administration With this method of treatment with the drug, its bioavailability depends on the dosage. If you take the drug at 110 mcg per day, then its content in the patient’s blood is practically not detected. In the case of taking the drug in a dosage of 880 mcg three times in 24 hours, its bioavailability is 0.5%;
- If you take flucaticasone furoate in the form of inhalation, then its bioavailability will be 27.3%.
Also, this drug can be taken orally and intravenously.
This drug binds to plasma proteins with an indicator of 99% or more. Moreover, he reacts slightly with red blood cells. Flucaticasone furoate is quite metabolized in the liver and is enzymatically cleaved to a harmless substance called fluticasone. This drug leaves the bloodstream quite quickly.
If the medicine was taken orally or intravenously, then it is almost completely removed with bile from the intestine and a negligible portion is excreted by the kidneys.
Indications
Fluticasone furoate, the instructions for which necessarily accompany the packaging with the medicine, are indicated for the following diseases:
- Allergic rhinitis of a year-round nature.
- Obstructive pulmonary disease, including chronic.
- Bronchial asthma - as a supportive combination treatment.
If you have pronounced syndromes that are described above, then drugs based on this active substance can effectively cope with them. However, do not forget about the important fact about fluticasone furoate that it is a hormone. Only your doctor can prescribe such a medicine.
Contraindications
This pharmaceutical product has a number of contraindications and restrictions on its use. It can not be taken in the following cases:
- Hypersensitivity to the main active ingredient.
- Children under 18 years old (without special doctor’s recommendation).
Limiting factors for taking this drug may be:
- Liver dysfunction.
- Pulmonary tuberculosis.
- Infectious diseases not fully cured or in chronic form.
Regarding the position on whether fluticasone furoate can be taken by pregnant and lactating women, the instructions for use indicate that there is not enough information about this. This drug should only be used in cases where the risk to the fetus or to the baby is lower than the expected positive effect for the mother.
Side effects
The instructions for use indicate quite extensive side effects from taking this drug, which depend on the type of its use. With intranasal use of the drug, they are expressed in the following:
- Disorders in the respiratory system: bleeding from the nose, the appearance of ulcers on its mucosa.
- Allergic manifestations: rashes on the body, Quincke's edema, anaphylaxis, urticaria.
If fluticasone furoate, reviews of which are mostly positive, is used in the form of inhalations as part of a combination drug, then the following side effects may occur:
- Infectious diseases: flu, pneumonia, bronchitis and other similar phenomena of the upper respiratory tract. Oropharyngeal candidiasis may also develop.
- Violations in the normal functioning of the respiratory system, which can be expressed in the form of oropharyngeal pain, nasopharyngitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, cough, dysphonia and sinusitis.
- Diseases of the connective and musculoskeletal tissues: fractures, arthralgia, pain in the back.
- Abdominal pain, migraine, fever, extrasystole, glaucoma, decreased bone density, depressed functioning of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal gland system, slow growth in children and adolescents, and cataracts can also occur.
How to apply and how much?
Spray "Fluticasone furoate" can be taken intranasally once a day. Also, this drug can be used for inhalation in combination preparations.
The dosage of the drug is prescribed depending on the age of the patient from 27.5 to 55 mcg. To maintain the concentration of the active substance, 27.5 μg of the drug is prescribed.
Manufacturers of this pharmaceutical product warn that during treatment with the drug, caution should be exercised in carrying out activities that have a potential risk. These include actions that require special attention and a quick psychomotor reaction, such as driving a vehicle or operating machinery.
Drug interaction
With the combined use of fluticasone furoate with ketoconazole, caution is advised.
Also, simultaneous joint administration with "Ritonavir" is not recommended. This is due to the risk of increased systemic effects of fluticasone furoate.
Overdose
In a study of the likelihood of an overdose of this drug, patients received a dose that exceeds the recommended 24 times over a period of more than 3 days. As a result, no adverse systemic manifestations were detected. But manufacturers of the drug warn that the action of glucocorticosteroids may have a development. In this situation, there is a need for medical supervision and appropriate treatment based on the symptoms.
Preparations
There are several drugs on the pharmaceutical market, the main active ingredient of which is fluticasone furoate: Avamis, Flutisan, Nazofan, Fluteneks, Seroflo, Flokhal and Flexonase. The most polar remedy from this line is the first named remedy. Avamis fluticasone furoate contains as the main active substance and is available in the form of a convenient spray.
Avamis
This tool has proven itself from the very best side in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. With this disease, not only swelling of the nasal mucosa and copious discharge from it occur, but also ocular manifestations in the form of lacrimation, itching, redness and uncomfortable sensations of “sand”. This symptomatology significantly reduces the quality of a person’s daily life, negatively affects his performance and leads to significant costs for therapy. Scientists have found that the main cause for allergic manifestations is the excitation of parasympathetic nerves, which is mediators of inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasal sinuses. With all the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, the drug Avamis copes well. Fluticasone furoate, which is part of it as the main active ingredient, acts on the active sites of the analyzer receptors, which as a result block the reaction of the human body to allergens.
Thus, all unpleasant and even exhausting symptoms go away, and the quality of life of the patient is significantly improved. Due to the fact that the main component has a high degree of affinity with receptors, their connection becomes very strong and long-lasting, which ensures a long-term effect of the drug.
All contraindications and side effects of this medication are directly related to the fact that the active ingredient of Avamis is fluticasone furoate, the instructions for which are given above. She warns that without the appointment of a doctor, this hormonal pharmaceutical product can not be taken.
Combination drugs
Also, for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, COPD and asthma, combined preparations containing fluticasone furoate, vilanterol and some auxiliary components are used. The most famous such medicine in our country is the “Ellipt Relar”.
This pharmaceutical product contains active substances in the following concentrations per dose:
- Fluticasone furoate micronized, 100 mcg.
- Vilanterol triphenatate micronized, 40 mcg.
This medicine is available in the form of a metered-dose powder for inhalation. It has a pronounced anti-inflammatory, as well as bronchodilator effect. The “Ellipt Relar” refers to agents having a bronchodilating effect, since the active ingredients are homones: selective beta-2-adrenergic agonist and local glucocorticosteroid.
Indications for treatment with this drug are:
- Bronchial asthma, in which the drug is used for maintenance therapy.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). With this diagnosis, treatment with the drug can significantly reduce exacerbations.
The described drug is intended solely for inhalations, which are performed once a day at a certain time (in the evening or in the morning). Manufacturers recommend rinsing the oral cavity with water after the procedure, but do not swallow it.
Patients with bronchial asthma should take the drug, regardless of the presence of pronounced symptoms of the disease. If during the pause between the courses of treatment there are obvious manifestations of the ailment, then the doctor usually prescribes short-acting beta 2 -agonists in the form of inhalations. The dosage is chosen only by the attending physician.
For adult patients and children over 12 years of age, the following concentrations of active ingredients (vilanterol triphenatate and flucatisone furotate, respectively) can be prescribed in one inhalation / 1 time per day:
- 22 mcg + 92 mcg;
- 22 mcg + 184 mcg.
The first dosage is prescribed by a doctor for those patients who require low or medium concentrations of active substances, as well as in the treatment of COPD in adults. It should be noted that for the treatment of chronic obstruction of the lungs in children is not used. The same dosage is prescribed to people with impaired liver function above an average level.
The second type of dosage is prescribed to patients who need a higher concentration of active substances in the treatment of bronchial asthma, when the minimum dosage does not have the desired effect.
People over 65 years of age, as well as those who have kidney diseases, do not need to correct the drug.
To use this medicine in the package there is a special inhaler that has the nuances of operation and care. They are described in detail in the instructions and before use, you need to carefully study the annotation.
Side effects of the drug can be expressed in the following forms:
- Quite often: upper respiratory tract infections, flu, oropharyngeal candidiasis, pneumonia; migraine; extrasystole; nasopharyngitis, sinusitis, rhinitis, dysphonia, cough; stomach ache; fractures, arthralgia, back pain; fever.
- Rarely encountered: hypersensitivity, rash, Quincke's edema, urticaria, anaphylaxis; Anxiety tremor; tachycardia.
Contraindications to the use of the "Relator Ellipt" are:
- Allergy to milk protein or to any component of the medicine.
- Children's age up to 12 years.
With caution, this pharmaceutical product should be taken by patients with severe cardiovascular diseases, with pulmonary tuberculosis and with chronic infectious diseases.
Pregnant women are prescribed this drug only in cases where the issue of its benefit to the mother is considered to be greater than the risk to the fetus. With lactation, this medicine is prescribed in conjunction with the rejection of breastfeeding and the elimination of risk to the baby.
The combined use of the drug "Relvar Ellipt" with beta-blockers should be avoided, except in cases of urgent need. Caution should also be exercised in combination with Ketoconazole and Ritonavir.
Analogs
If fluticasone furoate cannot be prescribed for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, COPD, or bronchial asthma, analogues of this medicine may be an acceptable alternative.
Your doctor will prescribe a suitable medicine based on the individual characteristics of the body. Among the analogues of this drug can be noted:
- Asmanex
- "Aurobin";
- "Garazon";
- Dexapos
- "Karizon";
- "Abistan";
- "Beclate" and some other drugs that are in the same pharmaceutical group with flucatisone furotate.
Do not forget that medications should be taken only as directed by a doctor and only after a careful study of the instructions.