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Serevent Diskus Side Effects
Lawsuits
The FDA warned in February 2003 that some patients using Serevent,
a popular asthma medication, might face life-threatening complications
and possible death from their symptoms than those not taking
the drug. FDA officials emphasize that problems from Serevent
occurred rarely. Both the FDA and GlaxoSmithKline, the maker
of Serevent, still contend that the drug's benefits outweigh
its risks.
Serevent, an aerosol spray, opens bronchial
airways to help asthma patients breathe more easily. Patients
use it twice a day to prevent attacks. The FDA approved Serevent,
also known as salmeterol xinafoate, to treat asthma in 1994 and
later extended its approval for treatment of chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease. Due to FDA concerns with the drug, in 1996
Glaxo launched a large study to the number of life-threatening
experiences, such as medical emergencies requiring intubations
and mechanical ventilation, and the number of asthma-related
deaths in patients taking the drug compared with the number of
such occurrences in patients given a placebo.
The study, which Glaxo cut short, found
a greater risk of problems and a greater risk of death among
black patients, and found a disparity in deaths among those patients
not using a companion drug to control inflammation. The FDA has
emphasized that medical professionals should follow existing
guidelines in prescribing Severent. These guidelines indicate
that asthma patients for whom the severity of the disease requires
daily medication should also use inhaled corticosteriods, which
control inflammation.
If you or a loved one
have experienced heart damage related to the use of Serevent
please use our form for legal advice. You may contact our national
network of attorneys evaluating Serevent claims at no obligation
for a free legal consultation.
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