warnings and cautions
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS • Asthma-related death: Long-acting beta 2 -adrenergic agonists as monotherapy (without an inhaled corticosteroid) for asthma increase the risk of serious asthma-related events. ( 5.1 ) • Do not initiate in acutely deteriorating COPD or to treat acute symptoms. ( 5.2 ) • Do not use in combination with an additional medicine containing a LABA because of risk of overdose. ( 5.3 ) • If paradoxical bronchospasm occurs, discontinue DUAKLIR PRESSAIR and institute alternative therapy. ( 5.4 ) • Use with caution in patients with cardiovascular disorders. ( 5.6 ) • Use with caution in patients with convulsive disorders, thyrotoxicosis, diabetes mellitus and ketoacidosis. ( 5.7 ) • Be alert to hypokalemia and hyperglycemia. ( 5.8 ) • Worsening of narrow-angle glaucoma may occur. Use with caution in patients with narrow-angle glaucoma and instruct patients to contact a physician immediately if symptoms occur. ( 5.9 ) • Worsening urinary retention may occur. Use with caution in patients with prostatic hyperplasia or bladder-neck obstruction and instruct patients to consult a physician immediately if symptoms occur. ( 5.10 ) 5.1 Serious Asthma-Related Events-Hospitalizations, Intubations, Death • The safety and efficacy of DUAKLIR PRESSAIR in patients with asthma have not been established. DUAKLIR PRESSAIR is not indicated for the treatment of asthma. [see Contraindications (4) ] . • Use of LABA as monotherapy [without inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)] for asthma is associated with an increased risk of asthma-related death. Available data from controlled clinical trials also suggest that use of LABA as monotherapy increases the risk of asthma-related hospitalization in pediatric and adolescent patients. These findings are considered a class effect of LABA monotherapy. When LABA are used in fixed-dose combination with ICS, data from large clinical trials do not show a significant increase in the risk of serious asthma-related events (hospitalizations, intubations, death) compared with ICS alone. • A 28-week, placebo-controlled, U.S. trial comparing the safety of another LABA (salmeterol) with placebo, each added to usual asthma therapy, showed an increase in asthma-related deaths in subjects receiving salmeterol (13/13,176 in subjects treated with salmeterol vs 3/13,179 in subjects treated with placebo; relative risk: 4.37 [95% CI: 1.25, 15.34]). The increased risk of asthma-related death is considered a class effect of LABAs, including formoterol fumarate, one of the active ingredients in DUAKLIR PRESSAIR. • No trial adequate to determine whether the rate of asthma-related deaths is increased in subjects treated with DUAKLIR PRESSAIR has been conducted. • Available data do not suggest an increased risk of death with use of LABA in patients with COPD. 5.2 Deterioration of Disease and Acute Episodes DUAKLIR PRESSAIR should not be initiated in patients with acutely deteriorating COPD, which may be a life-threatening condition. DUAKLIR PRESSAIR has not been studied in patients with acutely deteriorating COPD. The use of DUAKLIR PRESSAIR in this setting is inappropriate. DUAKLIR PRESSAIR is intended as twice daily maintenance treatment for COPD and should not be used for the relief of acute symptoms, i.e., as rescue therapy for treatment of acute episodes of bronchospasm. DUAKLIR PRESSAIR has not been studied in the relief of acute symptoms and extra doses should not be used for that purpose. Acute symptoms should be treated with an inhaled short-acting beta 2 -agonist. When beginning treatment with DUAKLIR PRESSAIR, patients who have been taking oral or inhaled, short-acting beta 2 -agonists on a regular basis (e.g., four times a day) should be instructed to discontinue the regular use of these drugs and use them only for symptomatic relief of acute respiratory symptoms. When prescribing DUAKLIR PRESSAIR, the healthcare provider should also prescribe an inhaled, short-acting beta 2 -agonist and instruct the patient on how it should be used. Increasing inhaled beta 2 -agonist use is a signal of deteriorating disease for which prompt medical attention is indicated. COPD may deteriorate acutely over a period of hours or chronically over several days or longer. If DUAKLIR PRESSAIR no longer controls symptoms of bronchoconstriction; the patient’s inhaled, short-acting beta 2 -agonist becomes less effective; or the patient needs more short-acting beta 2 -agonist than usual, these may be markers of deterioration of disease. In this setting, a re-evaluation of the patient and the COPD treatment regimen should be undertaken at once. Increasing the daily dose of DUAKLIR PRESSAIR beyond the recommended dose is not appropriate in this situation. 5.3 Excessive Use of DUAKLIR PRESSAIR and Use with Other Long-Acting Beta 2 Agonists As with other inhaled drugs containing beta-agonists, DUAKLIR PRESSAIR should not be used more often than recommended, at higher doses than recommended, or in conjunction with other medications containing LABAs, as an overdose may result. Clinically significant cardiovascular effects and fatalities have been reported in association with excessive use of inhaled sympathomimetic drugs. Patients using DUAKLIR PRESSAIR should not use another medicine containing a LABA for any reason [see Drug Interactions (7.1) ] . 5.4 Paradoxical Bronchospasm Inhaled medicines, including DUAKLIR PRESSAIR, may cause paradoxical bronchospasm, which may be life threatening. If paradoxical bronchospasm occurs following dosing with DUAKLIR PRESSAIR, it should be treated immediately with an inhaled, short acting bronchodilator. DUAKLIR PRESSAIR should be discontinued immediately, and alternative therapies should be instituted. 5.5 Immediate Hypersensitivity Reactions Immediate hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis, angioedema (including swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat), urticaria, rash, bronchospasm, or itching, have occurred after administration of DUAKLIR PRESSAIR. If such a reaction occurs, therapy with DUAKLIR PRESSAIR should be stopped at once and alternative treatments should be considered. 5.6 Cardiovascular Effects Formoterol fumarate, like other beta agonists, can produce a clinically significant cardiovascular effect in some patients as measured by increases in pulse rate, systolic or diastolic or blood pressure, or symptoms [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2) ] . If such effects occur, DUAKLIR PRESSAIR may need to be discontinued. In addition, beta-agonists have been reported to produce ECG changes, such as flattening of the T wave, prolongation of the QTc interval, and ST segment depression, although the clinical significance of these findings is unknown. Therefore, DUAKLIR PRESSAIR should be used with caution in patients with severe cardiovascular disorders, especially coronary insufficiency, cardiac arrhythmias, and hypertension. 5.7 Coexisting Conditions DUAKLIR PRESSAIR, like other medications containing sympathomimetic amines, should be used with caution in patients with convulsive disorders, thyrotoxicosis, and in those who are unusually responsive to sympathomimetic amines. Doses of the related beta-agonist albuterol, when administered intravenously, have been reported to aggravate pre-existing diabetes mellitus and ketoacidosis. 5.8 Hypokalemia and Hyperglycemia Beta-agonist medications may produce significant hypokalemia in some patients, possibly through intracellular shunting, which has the potential to produce adverse cardiovascular effects [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2) ] . The decrease in serum potassium is usually transient, not requiring supplementation. Beta-agonist medications may produce transient hyperglycemia in some patients. In 4 clinical trials of 24 to 52 weeks duration evaluating DUAKLIR PRESSAIR in patients with COPD, there was no evidence of a treatment effect on serum glucose or potassium. 5.9 Worsening of Narrow-Angle Glaucoma DUAKLIR PRESSAIR should be used with caution in patients with narrow-angle glaucoma. Prescribers and patients should be alert for signs and symptoms of acute narrow-angle glaucoma (e.g., eye pain or discomfort, blurred vision, visual halos, or colored images in association with red eyes from conjunctival congestion and corneal edema). Instruct patients to consult a physician immediately should any of these signs or symptoms develop. 5.10 Worsening of Urinary Retention DUAKLIR PRESSAIR should be used with caution in patients with urinary retention or bladder neck obstruction. Prescribers and patients should be alert for signs and symptoms of urinary retention (e.g., difficulty passing urine, painful urination), especially in patients with prostatic hyperplasia or bladder neck obstruction. Instruct patients to consult a physician immediately should any of these signs or symptoms develop.