Spiolto Respimat

[obiwhan]

Hi was just wondering if anyone with asthma is on this as I thought it was for copd? Spiolto Respimat

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

I'm not on it but I just checked and it does seem it's only approved for COPD. It says it's not approved for asthma because it hasn't been studied in people with asthma (so they don't have enough evidence for an approval - a drug has to be studied in people with the disease it's meant to treat before it can be officially approved for use in that disease.)

So this doesn't mean that Spiolto is proven to be unsuitable for asthma - they just don't have the data on it in asthma. It does include tiotropium, which as Spiriva Respimat *is* indicated in asthma. However, it combines it with a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA), olodaterol, and no inhaled steroid element.

It's not generally safe to use a LABA in asthma without inhaled steroid, whereas not everyone with COPD needs to use an inhaled steroid. Are you also prescribed a steroid inhaler?

It is allowed for doctors to prescribe 'off-label' if they think it's clinically the best thing for a patient, so it isn't an absolute no or illegal to do this. And if you're on an inhaled steroid already then they may see it as no different from the triple inhalers that combine the type of drugs in Spiolto with an inhaled steroid, but all in one inhaler.

I would be wanting to ask my doctor why they'd chosen this specific medication though, rather than a medication that is approved for asthma. It may be worth chatting this through with the asthma nurses on the helpline: 0300 2225800 Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, message on WhatsApp [phone] or email us at [e-mail]