Serevent and Advair are the trade names of two medications that contain salmeterol, a bronchodilator used to treat asthma and other breathing problems. Asthma is a chronic lung disease in which the main symptom is airways that become inflamed and narrowed, making it difficult, if not impossible, for a person to breathe.
Asthma is a condition that causes recurring periods of wheezing, noisy breathing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. It can also be fatal. Serevent and Advair can relieve asthma symptoms by increasing airflow through the bronchial tubes.
People of all ages have asthma, but it often starts in childhood. Over 26 million people in the U.S. have asthma, and some 7 million are children.
Serevent is also prescribed for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It also prevents exercise-induced bronchospasm in people who have asthma. People who have COPD have trouble breathing. The disease tends to worsen over time. Smoking cigarettes often causes it for many years.
Severent and Advair are available only with the prescription of a doctor. It is available as a powder, disk, and aerosol liquid. If a person uses Serevent and Advair to treat asthma, they must also simultaneously use an inhaled steroid medicine for long-term asthma control.
A person should get medical attention if they think asthma medications are not working as well as usual when taking Serevent and Advair. A person should not use a second form of salmeterol, such as Advair, or use a similar inhaled bronchodilator if they are using Serevent unless their doctor has directed them to do that. Likewise, a person should not use Serevent if they are taking Advair unless directed by their doctor.
Advair and Serevent are used in children and adults with asthma. Children under the age of 4 should not use these medications. When they are effective, Serevent and Advair can limit the number of asthma attacks experienced by the user. They do not work to stop asthma attacks that have already begun.
A person should not stop taking Serevent or Advair suddenly because this could also trigger severe asthma attacks.
What Are the Adverse Effects of Serevent and Advair?
Serevent and Advair have been associated with hospitalizations or deaths after especially severe asthma attacks. These drugs are used in the long term to prevent asthma attacks. They have been proven to reduce the number of asthma attacks a person suffers.
Unfortunately, Serevent and Advair worsen the asthma attacks that people do have while using the medications. Many users of these drugs have died or required hospitalization after experiencing severe asthma attacks. These asthma-related deaths have been linked to the ingredient salmeterol in Serevent and Advair.
Again, people are advised not to use Serevent or Advair to treat an asthma attack that is already in progress. That is because they are not designed to treat emergency asthma attacks and are ineffective in that circumstance.
As with all medicines, a person needs to take the dose prescribed by their doctor, not less and not more. A person should take these medications, like all others, for the period prescribed by their doctor, not longer and not for a shorter time.
Finally, a person should discuss taking the medication with their doctor and make sure that their doctor knows all of the other medications that the person takes.
Who Should Not Take Serevent or Advair?
A person who is allergic to salmeterol or milk proteins should not use Serevent or Advair.
A person wants to be sure to tell their doctor if they have ever had any of the following before taking these medications:
- A food or drug allergy;
- Heart disease or high blood pressure;
- Epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
- Diabetes;
- A thyroid disorder; or
- Liver disease.
It is not known whether salmeterol will harm an unborn baby, so a person should tell their doctor if they are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before taking either medication. A person taking Serevent and Advair should not breastfeed while using these medications.
Taking Serevent and Advair has also been shown to increase the risk of asthma hospitalizations in children, teenagers, and adults. A significant number of deaths have been related to Serevent and Advair. These products cause severe asthma attacks if a person uses them without a corticosteroid. The federal Food and Drug Administration and the manufacturer agree that a person should tell their doctor if they are taking one of these drugs.
Is There a Black Box Warning for Serevent and Advair?
In 2006, a black box warning was issued for Serevent and Advair. It informs consumers of their deadly side effects. Then, in 2007, new warnings were included that identified the risk of side effects in children. The warning also states that asthma attacks in people who use Serevent and Advair may require hospitalization.
What Are My Remedies If I Have Been Injured by Serevent or Advair?
A person might file two possible types of lawsuits to recover compensation for injuries caused by prescription medications. One is a strict product liability lawsuit for a defective product. If it can be shown that a medication has a defect, usually one of three kinds and that the defect caused injury to a person, the person can sue the manufacturer and distributors of the medication for product liability.
The most common types of defects that may lead to a lawsuit are warning, manufacturing, and design defects.
Another possibility is a lawsuit for medical malpractice against the doctor who prescribes Serevent or Advair to a patient. For example, a person must take an inhaled steroid medicine at the same time that they take Serevent or Advair. So, if a doctor were to prescribe Serevent or Advair without prescribing an inhaled steroid medicine to be taken at the same time, this might be considered a medical error of the type that could support an action for medical malpractice.
Or, a person who suffers injury because of taking Serevent or Advair might have a case for pharmacist malpractice against the pharmacist who supplied them with the medication. Again, if Serevent or Advair was dispensed by a pharmacist who did not ensure that the patient had an inhaled steroid to take with the medication, this might form the basis for a claim of pharmacist malpractice.
The problem with suing the manufacturer of Serevent or Advair for injury related to an asthma attack or even death from an asthma attack is that a person is warned before taking the medication that severe attacks and even death are possible under certain circumstances. So, proving a case that would justify liability on the part of the manufacturer could be challenging at best.
A lawsuit for strict product liability, medical malpractice, or pharmacist malpractice would seek an award of compensatory damages that would reimburse a person for economic losses, such as the cost of medical care, and non-economic losses, such as pain and suffering.
If a person suffered a fatal asthma attack while taking Serevent or Advair, their family members would consult an attorney about possibly filing a lawsuit for wrongful death.
What Is the Current Status of Serevent and Advair?
In 2019, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first generic equivalent of Advair. It should be used twice daily to treat asthma in patients over four. It has also been approved for the treatment of COPD.
Do I Need the Help of a Lawyer for My Issue with Serevent or Advair?
If you believe Serevent or Advair has injured you or a loved one, consult a class action lawyer. Your lawyer can review your case and advise whether your doctor may have made an error in prescribing Serrevent or Advair for you.
Or, your lawyer can tell if the facts of your situation would support a suit for strict product liability. If a family member suffered a fatal asthma attack while taking either of these medications, again, you want to consult a personal injury lawyer about possibly filing a wrongful death lawsuit.
