Symbicort Uses (Cont.)

How Symbicort Works

Symbicort contains two different medications: budesonide and formoterol. Formoterol is part of a class of drugs called beta-adrenergic receptor agonists, or beta agonists for short. Beta agonists stimulate beta receptors in the body, including those on the muscles around airways. This stimulation causes the muscles to relax, which opens up the airways and allows more air to get into and through the lungs. Formoterol is a long-acting beta agonist that is used to prevent asthma attacks rather than to treat them.
 
The other component of Symbicort is budesonide, an asthma medication that belongs to a group of drugs called inhaled corticosteroids, or steroids for short. Inhaled steroids go directly into the lungs and help to decrease the inflammation of airways that makes asthma attacks more likely.
 
Because Symbicort does not work quickly, it should not be used for treating an asthma attack. Rather, it is used twice a day in order to prevent them.
 

Symbicort Uses in Children

Symbicort is approved for asthma treatment in children ages 12 and older. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about the best ways to treat childhood asthma.
 

Off-Label Symbicort Uses

On occasion, your healthcare provider may recommend Symbicort for treating something other than the condition discussed in this article. At this time, treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an off-label Symbicort use.
 

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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;