Asthma Drugs and their Known Side Effects

Below are listed some of the many anti-asthma drugs available together with reasons to avoid them. Information about a safe, drug-free alternative treatment for asthma can be found at http://www.LifeWithoutAsthma.Info

Asthma Medications and Their Known Side Effects

Generic name: Budesonide

Brand names: Pulmicort, Rhinocort

Side effects:

facial edema, rash, herpes simplex, nervousness, nausea, nasal irritation, dry mouth, hoarseness, wheezing, nasal pain, delayed growth in children

Long term use:

glucose intolerance, psychiatric disturbances, cataracts

Generic name: Beclomethasone

Brand names: Beclovent, Vanceril, Becloforte, Beconaise

Side effects:

irritation of the throat, coughing, hoarseness, candidiasis in the region of the oropharynx or the larynx.

Long term use:

depressed pituitary-adrenal functioning, osteoporosis.

Generic name: Flunisolide

Brand names: Bronalide, Aerobid-M, Nasalide, Rhinalar

Side effects:

nasal burning and stinging, aftertaste, hoarseness, sore throat, cough, wheezing, Candida (yeast) infections, change or loss of sense of smell or taste, nausea, headache, diarrhea, allergic reaction (including rash, hives, itchiness and bronchospasm)

Long term use:

permanent loss of sense of smell and/or taste

Generic name: Fluticasone

Brand names: Flonase or Flovent

Side effects:

dry nose, nose bleeds, candida yeast infections in the mouth, hoarseness, sore throat, serious cortisol suppression, growth suppression in children, eosinophilic pneumonia, eosinophilic vasculitis, Churg-Strauss syndrome, vasculitic rash, worsening pulmonary symptoms, cardiac complications, increased risk of glaucoma

Generic name: Salbutamol or Albutrerol

Brand names: Ventolin, Easyhaler, Diskhaler, Proventil

Side effects:

suspected to be a co-factor in asthma deaths, tremor, inner agitation, heart palpitation, muscle cramps, headaches, premature contractions during pregnancy, psychotic reactions.

Generic name: Salmeterol

Brand name: Serevent

Side effects:

liver dysfunction and damage, increased heart rate, blood pressure, heart beat irregularities, chest pain tremor, nervousness, worsening of bronchospasm (life-threatening), allergic reactions: skin rash, hives, swelling, bronchospasm, and anaphylaxis (life-threatening), worsening of diabetes and lowering of potassium, potentially fatal heart complications.

Expert Warns Against 5 FDA-Approved Drugs- In testimony Thursday (November 18, 2004) before the Senate Finance Committee, Food and Drug Administration reviewer David Graham cited Meridia, Crestor, Accutane, Bextra and Serevent. Serevent was shown, with 90 percent certainty in a long-term trial in England, to cause deaths due to asthma. GlaxoSmithKline, told by the FDA to do a large, clinical trial, begged off. “We’ve got case reports of people dying, clutching their Serevent inhaler,” Graham said. “But Serevent is still on the market.”

Generic name: Prednisone, Prednisolone

Brand names: Adasone, Cartancyl, Colisone, Cordrol, Cortan, Dacortin, Dellacort, Delta-Dome, Deltasone, DiAdreson, Econosone, Fernisone, Liquid Pred, Meticorten, Orasone, Panasol, Paracort, Parmenison, Prednicen-M, Prednicot, Predniment, Rectodelt, Sterapred

Side effects:

systemic corticosteroid effects such as hypercorticism and adrenal suppression, Cushing’s syndrome with moon face, truncal obesity, acne, psychiatric disorders, menstruation disorders, osteoporosis, muscular atrophy, and other myopathies,hypertension, edema, hyperglycemia, cataracts, glaucoma, aseptic bone necrosis, pancreatitis, delayed wound healing, sleep disturbances, nycturia, nausea; gastrointestinal bleeding, dermatrophy, cerebral pseudotumor, congestive heart failure, convulsions, impaired wound healing

*to discontiinue use: prednisolone, or prednisone must be reduced gradually if the therapy lasts longer than one week.

Generic name: Theophylline

Brand names: Theo-dur, Respbid, Slo-bid, Theo-24, Theolair, Uniphyl, Slo-phyllin

Side effects:

loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, trouble concentrating tachycardia, palpitations, extrasystoles, headaches, tremor, nervousness, excitability, sleep disturbances, gastroesophageal reflux

Long term use:

dangerous complications mostly affect the heart (arrhythmias) and the central nervous system (convulsions) and are frequently lethal.

Generic name: Zileutron

Brand name: Leutrol, Zyflo

Side effects:

changes in liver functioning

Long term use:

liver damage (yellowing of skin or eyes, unusual tiredness, abdominal pain)

Generic name: Zafirlukast

Brand name: Accolate

Side effects:

headache, infections, nausea, diarrhea, numbness, tingling, pain, worsening respiratory symptoms, liver damage (yellowing of skin or eyes, unusual tiredness, abdominal pain); Churg-Strauss syndrome: can be very serious; if dose is reduced watch for the following symptoms: fever, muscle aches, pains and weight loss.

Long term use:

liver damage (yellowing of skin or eyes, unusual tiredness, abdominal pain)
instances of life threatening liver failure have been reported to the FDA by Accolate patients

Generic name: Montelukast

Brand name: Singulair

Side effects:

headache, abdominal pain, rash, dyspepsia, dizziness, diarrhea, sinusitis, and ear ache, gastroenteritis, cough, nasal congestion

For information about a combination of non-toxic natural supplements to control and eliminate asthma and allergies, visit http://www.LifeWithoutAsthma.Info