Introduction
Roxair is used to prevent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), group of lung disorders in which the flow of air to the lungs is blocked and chronic bronchitis. It works by opening the airways and makes breathing easier.
Roxair can be taken with or without food, but take it at the same time every day to get the most benefit. The dose and how often you take it depends on what you are taking it for. Your doctor will decide how much you need to improve your symptoms. You should take this medicine for as long as it is prescribed for you. Do not miss even a single dose, if in any case, you missed a dose, take it as soon as you remember or better to skip the missed dose and continue with regular dosing. It does not prevent the already started breathing trouble or COPD, hence always carry your medical inhaler with you for an emergency.
The most common side effects of this medicine include headache, weight loss, dizziness, insomnia, and back pain. If these bother you, or appear serious, let your doctor know. There may be ways of reducing or preventing them. To overcome dizziness, you must avoid driving and attention-seeking activity until you do not know how medicine affects you. If you experienced sudden weight loss, then regular weight monitoring is required.
Before taking this medicine, let your doctor if you suffer from depression, or suicidal thoughts, or if you have HIV, multiple sclerosis. Your doctor should also know about all other medicines you are taking as many of these may make this medicine less effective or change the way it works. You must inform your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before treatment.
Uses of Roxair
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Side effects of Roxair
Common
- Headache
- Weight loss
- Dizziness
- Insomnia (difficulty in sleeping)
- Back pain
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Decreased appetite
- Flu
How to use Roxair
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Roxair may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.
How Roxair works
Roxair works by relaxing the muscles in the walls of the airways. This opens the airways and makes breathing easier.
Indication
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Adult Dose
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Reduction of frequency of exacerbations or worsening of symptoms
500 mcg PO once daily
Child Dose
Safety and efficacy not established
Contraindication
Roflumilast is contraindicated to patients with a history of hypersensitivity to Roflumilast or any of other ingredients of the tablet and if a patient has moderate to severe liver impairment.
Mode of Action
Selective phosphodiesterase (PDE)-4 inhibitor; PDE-4 inhibition leads to accumulation of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in lung tissue and is thought to be underlying mechanism of action.
Precaution
Roflumilast is not a bronchodilator and should not be used for the treatment of a sudden attack of breathlessness. Patients treated with this drug should have their weight monitored regularly. If unexplained or clinically significant weight loss occurs, this should be evaluated, and discontinuation of Roflumilast should be considered. Roflumilast should be given with caution in patients with severe immunological diseases (HIV infection, multiple sclerosis, lupus erythematosus, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and others), severe acute infectious diseases (tuberculosis or acute hepatitis), cancer (except basal-cell carcinoma), and severe impairment of the heart function.
Lactation: Probable that roflumilast, its metabolites, or both are excreted into milk; avoid use
Side Effect
1-10%
Diarrhea (9.5%),Weight loss (7.5%),Nausea (4.7%),Headache (4.4%),Back pain (3.2%),Insomnia (2.4%),Decreased appetite (2.1%),Dizziness (2.1%)
1-10%
Abdominal pain (1-2%),Anxiety (1-2%),Depression (1-2%),Dyspepsia (1-2%),Gastritis (1-2%),Muscle spasms (1-2%),Rhinitis (1-2%),Sinusitis (1-2%),Tremor (1-2%),Urinary tract infection (1-2%),Vomiting (1-2%)
Frequency Not Defined
Suicidality
Interaction
Erythromycin, ketoconazole, fluvoxamine, enoxacin, cimetidine; rifampicin, phenobarb, carbamazepine, phenytoin, theophylline, OC.