It is unlikely that your child would be given a long acting reliever inhaler for asthma alone, it is usually used in combination with a steroid inhaler. Sometimes they are given separately to test the response to the medicine and if this is successful, they would normally be prescribed together in a combination inhaler.
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| Medicine name | How its taken | Device | Side effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salmeterol (Serevent®) |
Long acting reliever. Usually taken every morning and night. | Metered dose inhaler, Diskhaler, Accuhaler |
Your child may feel dizzy or light-headed when they stand up, they may feel sick, may get headaches, have a mild tremor (shakiness), especially in the hands, or have joint or muscle pain or cramps. Some children may become more nervous or anxious than usual, and they may have disturbed sleep. From medicines for children |
| Formoterol (Atimos®,Foradil®, Oxis®) |
Long acting reliever. Usually taken every morning and night. | Easyhaler, Turbohaler | Your child may get shakiness (particularly in the hands), nervous tension, headache, fast or fluttering heartbeat, disturbed sleep, behaviour changes or muscle cramps. Also, nausea, dizziness, rash, taste disturbance and itch. From medicines for children |
Please note:
These are the most commonly used inhalers at the time of publication of this website. If you do not see your inhaler you can speak to your GP or pharmacist or check the patient information leaflet for your inhaler and medication.
