Azmacort Dosage: An Introduction
- Your age
- The severity of your asthma
- Other medications you may be taking.
As is always the case, do not adjust your Azmacort dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
Azmacort Dosing for Adults
For adults and adolescents (age 12 and over), the recommended Azmacort dose for asthma is two inhalations (150 mcg) of Azmacort three to four times daily, or four inhalations (300 mcg) twice daily. The maximum Azmacort dose is 16 inhalations total per day.
Azmacort Dosing for Children
For children age 6 to 12, the recommended dose is one or two inhalations (75 mcg or 150 mcg) of Azmacort three to four times daily, or two to four inhalations (150 mcg to 300 mcg) twice daily. For children, the maximum Azmacort dose is 12 inhalations per day.
General Azmacort Dosage Information
Some considerations for people taking Azmacort include the following:
- Azmacort comes in a metered-dose inhaler (called an "MDI").
- Azmacort is taken two to four times a day every day. It is used to prevent asthma attacks, not to treat them.
- You should "test spray" an Azmacort inhaler before you first use it, or if you have not used it for more than three days. To test spray the inhaler, shake the inhaler gently then spray it into the air twice.
- The Azmacort inhaler has a built in "spacer." Because of the spacer, the inhaler releases a fine mist of medication (not a strong puff, like other inhalers).
- Be sure to shake the inhaler gently before each use.
- Wait at least one minute in between inhalations (if you take more than one inhalation at a time), making sure to shake the inhaler before each inhalation.
- Rinse your mouth (without swallowing) after each Azmacort dose in order to prevent thrush.
- It is important to learn exactly how to use your Azmacort inhaler. It may be difficult at first and may require some practice.
- The spray should be inhaled into the lungs, not sprayed onto the back of the throat and swallowed. To accomplish this, you will need to breathe in while spraying the inhaler.
- Each inhaler contains 240 sprays. Try to keep track of approximately how many sprays you have used in order to know when to replace the inhaler. Do not place the inhaler in water to see if it is empty (although doing so was recommended in the past).
- For Azmacort to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. Azmacort will not work if you stop taking it.
- If you are unsure about anything related to Azmacort or your Azmacort dosage, please talk to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.