SearchContact UsResourcesSign Up for Updates

FIGHT ASTHMA

Control it where it counts with ALVESCO

ALVESCO delivers powerful medicine that penetrates your airways, reaching even the small air passages deep in your lungs. It effectively reduces the inflammation that makes it hard for you to breathe, making you less prone to sudden symptoms.

What is ALVESCO?|How it works?|Benefits|Side effects

What is ALVESCO?

ALVESCO is a type of asthma medicine known as an inhaled corticosteroid, or ICS (see sidebar). It is used for the long-term maintenance treatment of asthma in adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older.

ALVESCO contains ciclesonide, a man-made corticosteroid. Corticosteroids are natural anti-inflammatory substances found in the body. ALVESCO can help prevent and control asthma symptoms because it reduces inflammation in the air passages.

Because it is a controller medicine, ALVESCO needs to be used regularly, as directed by your healthcare provider, to help keep asthma symptoms under control.

ALVESCO is NOT for fast relief of sudden symptoms of shortness of breath during an asthma attack. For sudden symptoms, you need to use a fast-acting bronchodilator, such as a levalbuterol inhaler.

How does ALVESCO work?

When you inhale ALVESCO, its small particles penetrate deep into your lungs.

Once it is inhaled, the medicine in ALVESCO is activated, or changed into an active form.

ALVESCO then works to reduce the inflammation in your airways. Over time, when used as directed, this can help prevent and control symptoms of asthma.

What are the potential benefits of taking ALVESCO?

  • ALVESCO penetrates deep into your lungs, targeting inflammation – a main cause of asthma symptoms.
  • ALVESCO's powerful anti-inflammatory medicine offers effective control of your asthma symptoms, so you are less prone to sudden symptoms.
    • Always keep your rescue inhaler at hand for quick relief of sudden symptoms.
  • ALVESCO had a very low occurrence of thrush and hoarseness of the voice.
  • ALVESCO is available in 2 strengths: 80 mcg/puff and 160 mcg/puff. The inhaler has a convenient built-in dose indicator (counter), so you know how many puffs are left.

ALVESCO is not for everyone. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether ALVESCO may be right for you.

What are the possible side effects of ALVESCO?

The most common side effects with ALVESCO include headache, irritation of the nose and throat, sinus infection, upper respiratory infection, joint pain, nasal congestion, leg pain, and back pain.

Alvesco Instant Rebate Program

Save up to $50*

Each and every time you refill your ALVESCO prescription**

Reduce your copay to $25†

Start Saving Now
Register for the Instant Rebate Program

Activate Card
Activate your Instant Rebate Card

*Maximum benefit is $75 off, on up to 12 prescriptions/refills of ALVESCO per year. Not valid for patients participating in Medicare, Medicaid, government (public insurance) programs, and where prohibited by law. Click here for program rules.

What are corticosteroids?

ALVESCO contains ciclesonide, a man-made corticosteroid. Corticosteroids are natural anti-inflammatory substances found in the body. They are used in some types of asthma medicines. They are NOT the same as the kind of steroids you may hear about some athletes misusing.

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are very effective for long-term control of asthma, because they reduce the inflammation, or swelling, that causes asthma symptoms. ICS are considered well tolerated when taken as directed.

Suffering from nasal allergies too?

To learn about a different product to treat nasal allergy symptoms plus a great money-saving offer, visit www.ReliefIsHere.com.

INDICATION: ALVESCO is for the long-term treatment of asthma as preventative therapy in adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

ALVESCO is NOT a rescue inhaler and should not be used for relief of sudden symptoms of shortness of breath during an asthma attack.  Use a fast-acting rescue medicine (such as a levalbuterol or albuterol inhaler) to relieve sudden symptoms if you have an asthma attack.  You should contact your healthcare professional if an asthma attack does not respond to your rescue medicine or you need to use your rescue medicine more often than usual.

You should not use ALVESCO if you are allergic to ciclesonide or any of the ingredients in ALVESCO.  Rare cases of severe allergic reactions, including swelling of the lips, tongue and throat, have been reported.

It is important to take ALVESCO regularly, as prescribed.  Do not stop treatment even if you are feeling better, unless told to do so by your healthcare professional.  You should contact your healthcare professional if your symptoms do not improve after 4 weeks, or if your condition worsens at any time during treatment.  DO NOT inhale more doses or use your ALVESCO inhaler more often than you have been directed.

Yeast infections of the mouth and throat (thrush) have occurred in some ALVESCO patients.  Rinse your mouth after you inhale each dose of ALVESCO.  If you develop a yeast infection, it should be treated by a healthcare professional.  Patients taking ALVESCO are at a possible increased risk of infection due to a weakened immune system that may occur when taking a steroid medicine.  Tell your healthcare professional if you have had tuberculosis (TB) or any other infections before or while using ALVESCO, or if you are exposed to chickenpox or measles.

If you took an oral (by mouth) steroid previously and are having the dose decreased, or you have been switched to ALVESCO from an oral steroid, tell your healthcare professional right away about any symptoms such as feeling tired or exhausted, weakness, nausea, vomiting, or symptoms of low blood pressure (such as dizziness or faintness).  These may be symptoms of a potentially life-threatening condition in which your body does not produce enough natural steroids.

Using inhaled steroid medicines for a long time may put you at greater risk for decreased bone mass (which can cause bones to become weaker).  Inhaled corticosteroids including ALVESCO may cause slowed growth in children and adolescents.  Your healthcare professional should monitor your bone health and the growth of children and adolescents taking ALVESCO. 

As with other inhaled asthma medicines, bronchospasm (a sudden squeezing of the airways) can occur, with wheezing, right after you inhale your dose of ALVESCO.  If this happens, stop using ALVESCO and use a rescue medicine right away, such as levalbuterol or albuterol.  You should also inform your healthcare professional right away so that your asthma medicine can be re-evaluated.

The most common side effects with ALVESCO include headache, pain or irritation of the nose and throat, sinus infection, upper respiratory infection (such as the common cold), joint pain, stuffy nose, leg pain, and back pain.

For additional information, please see the full Prescribing Information for ALVESCO.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Get Adobe Reader

Prescribing InformationPatient Instructions for UseSitemapPrivacy StatementTerms & ConditionsMedical DisclaimerUnsubscribe

and SEPRACOR are registered trademarks of Sepracor Inc. ALVESCO is a registered trademark of Nycomed GmbH, used with permission.