22nd November 2004
One of the problems they've been having with Serevent is that it's been linked to premature asthmatic deaths. People will take it like Ventolin since it gives them relief just as fast, and it's happened several times that someone has been found dead of status asthmaticus with a Serevent puffer clutched in their fist. In all likelihood, it will not be pulled, since it's an extraordinarily effective drug when used appropriately. What they probably will do is make sure to mark more clearly that this drug is to be avoided in an emergency situation, that even though it may bring relief it is not to be taken as a rescue measure because of a risk of increased and possibly fatal side effects.
For them to pull it off the shelf they'd have to pull related drugs (foradil/oxeze) and drugs used in combination with it (advair) and their related drugs (symbicort). These are all drugs that have brought relief to millions, and that research shows are actually safer to take than corticosteroids alone since they result in a lower therapeutic dosage of corticosteroids and thereby fewer side effects.
And as an advisory, as much as your Ventolin or reliever of choice IS an emergency drug, if you find yourself having to take more than two puffs in a matter of four hours because the relief is not lasting as long as it should or you are not getting adequate relief, dispatch yourself to an emergency care center immediately, whether that be a walk-in clinic that treats emergent patients, your primary care physician, or the Emergency Department of your community hospital.
