Flovent Diskus

Flovent Diskus prevents symptoms of asthma. It may take up to 2 weeks for Flovent Diskus to reach its full effectiveness.

Flovent Diskus Overview

Reviewed: December 3, 2014
Updated: 

Flovent Diskus is a prescription medication used to prevent symptoms of asthma. Flovent Diskus can also treat the symptoms of allergic and non-allergic rhinitis and relieve inflammation and itching caused by various skin conditions. 

Flovent Diskus is in a class of medications called corticosteroids. These drugs work by decreasing swelling and irritation in the airways to allow for easier breathing. 

Flovent Diskus for oral inhalation is typically used twice daily to prevent asthma-related symptoms. 

Common side effects of Flovent Diskus include upper airway infection or inflammation, throat irritation, and cough. 

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Uses of Flovent Diskus

Flovent Diskus is a prescription medication used to prevent symptoms of asthma, including difficulty breathing, chest tightness, wheezing, and coughing, in adults and children aged 12 years and older.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Manufacturer

Flovent Diskus Drug Class

Flovent Diskus is part of the drug class:

Side Effects of Flovent Diskus

Common side effects include:

  • upper airway infection or inflammation
  • throat irritation
  • sinus infection
  • hoarse voice
  • candidiasis
  • cough
  • headache

This is not a complete list of Flovent Diskus side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Flovent Diskus Interactions

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

  • medications that stop the work of an enzyme in the body (CYPA4) such as some macrolide antibiotics (clarithromycin, telithromycin), some HIV protease inhibitors (indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir), some HCV protease inhibitors (boceprevir, telaprevir), some azole antifungals (ketoconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole), conivaptan (Vaprisol), delavirdine (Rescriptor), and nefazodone (Serzone)

This is not a complete list of Flovent Diskus drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Flovent Diskus Precautions

Serious side effects have been reported with Flovent Diskus including the following:

  • fungal infections (thrush) in your mouth and throat. Tell your doctor if you have any redness or white-colored coating in your mouth
  • decreased adrenal function (adrenal insufficiency). Symptoms of decreased adrenal function include tiredness, weakness, nausea and vomiting, and low blood pressure. Decreased adrenal function can lead to death.
  • allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). Call your doctor and stop Flovent Diskus right away if you have any symptoms of an allergic reaction:
  • swelling of the face, throat and tongue
  • hives
  • rash
  • breathing problems
  • decreased ability to fight infections. Symptoms of infection may include: fever, pain, aches, chills, feeling tired, nausea and vomiting. Tell your doctor about any signs of infection while you use Flovent Diskus.
  • slow growth in children. The growth of children using Flovent Diskus should be checked regularly.
  • eye problems including glaucoma and cataracts. Tell your doctor about any vision changes while using Flovent Diskus. Your doctor may tell you to have your eyes checked.
  • increased wheezing (bronchospasm). Increased wheezing can happen right away after using Flovent Diskus. Always have a rescue inhaler with you to treat sudden wheezing.
  • lower bone mineral density. This may be a problem for people who already have a higher chance of low bone density (osteoporosis).

Flovent Diskus Food Interactions

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Flovent Diskus, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Inform MD

Before using Flovent Diskus, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

  • are allergic to Flovent Diskus or to any of its ingredients
  • are exposed to measles or chickenpox
  • are allergic to fluticasone nasal spray
  • have liver problems
  • take ritonavir (Norvir)
  • take any other corticosteroids such as hydrocortisone
  • have an autoimmune disease such as HIV/AIDS
  • have an infection
  • have an allergy to formaldehyde
  • have a history of glaucoma or cataracts
  • are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Flovent Diskus and Pregnancy

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Flovent Diskus falls into category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Flovent Diskus and Lactation

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if Flovent Diskus crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using Flovent Diskus.

Flovent Diskus Usage

Use Flovent Diskus exactly as prescribed.

Flovent Diskus comes in oral inhalational form and is taken twice a day. It may take up to 2 weeks for Flovent Diskus to reach its full effectiveness.

If you miss a dose by several hours, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of Flovent Diskus at the same time.

Flovent Diskus Dosage

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

  • The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:
  • the condition being treated
  • other medical conditions you have
  • other medications you are taking
  • how you respond to this medication
  • your age

The recommended adult dose of Flovent Diskus (fluticasone propionate powder for oral inhalation) for the prevention of asthma symptoms is 100 to 1000 mcg of fluticasone propionate twice daily, depending on previous treatment with corticosteroids. 

Flovent Diskus Overdose

If you take too much Flovent Diskus, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If Flovent Diskus is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

Other Requirements

  • Store Flovent Diskus at room temperature.
  • Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.