Avacort Dosage/Direction for Use

Avacort HFA 200mcg Metered Dose Inhaler is for oral inhalation.
The dosage of Budesonide is individual and the maintenance dose should be the lowest possible. Initially, at the beginning of inhaled corticosteroid therapy, for therapy during periods of severe asthma or when scaling down or withdrawing oral corticosteroids the dosage should be:
Children aged 2 - 7 years: 200-400 micrograms per day divided into 2-4 administrations.
Children aged 7 years and older: 200-800 micrograms per day divided into 2-4 administrations.
Adults: 400-1600 micrograms per day divided into 2-4 administrations.
For maintenance treatment administration twice daily, morning and evening, is usually sufficient.
After a single dose an effect may be expected after a few hours. The full therapeutic effect is only achieved after several weeks of treatment. Treatment with Budesonide is a prophylactic therapy with no demonstrated effect on acute disorders.
Patients dependent on oral steroids: When transfer from oral steroids is initiated, the patient's condition must be relatively stable. For 10 days a high dose of Budesonide is given in conjunction with the previously used dose of oral steroids. After that, the oral dose should be reduced gradually by e.g. 2.5 mg prednisolone or equivalent per month to the lowest possible level. The oral steroid can often be withdrawn completely.
Instructions for the correct use of Avacort HFA 200mcg Metered Dose Inhaler: Avacort HFA 200mcg Metered Dose Inhaler is inspiratory flow-driven which means that, when the patient inhales through the mouthpiece, the substance will follow the inspired air into the airways.
Note: It is important to instruct the patient: To carefully read the instructions for use in the patient information leaflet, which is packed with each inhaler.
To breathe in forcefully and deeply through the mouthpiece to ensure that an optimal dose is delivered to the lungs.
Never to breathe out through the mouthpiece.
To minimise the risk of oropharyngeal candida infection, the patient should rinse their mouth out with water after inhaling.
The patient may not taste or feel any medication when using the inhaler, due to the small amount of drug dispensed.