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This website is intended for UK Healthcare Professionals only.
The website contains both promotional and non-promotional content.
If you are a patient or a carer of a patient prescribed an AstraZeneca product, please visit myazmed.co.uk
For any other UK residents please visit astrazeneca.co.uk
This website is intended for UK Healthcare Professionals only. Other UK residents please visit astrazeneca.co.uk
Prescribing information and Adverse Event Reporting can be found at the top and bottom of this page
Watch how Jo Hamilton, a Lead Respiratory Nurse from Dudley in the West Midlands, demonstrates how to run an asthma consultation. She also demonstrates:
This is a fictional patient consultation with a fictional patient.
With a shelf life of 3 years, Symbicort® Turbohaler® is ONE inhaler which:
Many asthma patients have the habit of reaching for their SABA inhaler when their symptoms worsen, increasing their use instead of using controller medications, and ending up over-relying on SABAs. This also causes those patients to delay seeking medical assistance in a life-threatening attack.7-9
The Symbicort® Turbohaler® (100/6 or 200/6 doses only) MART regimen will help treat both patients' symptoms and disease's inflammation. This is thanks to its two components: formoterol working as fast and effectively as a SABA and budesonide reducing inflammation, which is the root cause of asthma.1-4,9,10
Therefore, Symbicort® Turbohaler® MART may help with the underlying reason for asthma symptoms worsening1-3,9,11
^FEV1 values measured at 3 minutes after first dose showed no difference between formoterol and salbutamol.3 The bronchodilating effect is dose-dependent, with an onset of effect within 1-3 minutes. Ventolin (salbutamol) onset within 5 minutes as per SmPC.4
Improvement in FEV1 is as rapid and effective with formoterol 6 or 12 µg as with salbutamol 100 or 200 µg
FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; pMDI, pressurised metered dose inhaler.
Adapted from Seberová E and Andersson A. Respir Med 2000;94(6):607–611.
The COMPASS study was a 6 month, randomised, double-blinded, parallel group study of patients aged 12 years and over with persisting asthma. The study compared budesonide/formoterol 160/4.5 µg 1 inhalation BID + as needed (n=1,107) vs. salmeterol/fluticasone 25/125 µg 2 inhalations BID + terbutaline as needed (n=1,123) and vs. budesonide/formoterol 320/9 µg 1 inhalation BID + terbutaline as needed (n=1,105).11
In the COMPASS* study, Symbicort® Turbohaler® MART demonstrated:
*Severe exacerbations are defined as deterioration of asthma resulting in hospitalisation, emergency room treatment or the need for OCS treatment for ≥3 days [as judged by the investigator].
^Reduction in steroid load calculated in BDP equivalent dose between salmeterol/fluticasone 50/250 μg and Symbicort® 200/6 μg maintenance + reliever. Mean overall daily ICS dose in BDP equivalents was approximately 755 μg budesonide/formoterol maintenance + budesonide/formoterol reliever) vs 1000 μg salmeterol/fluticasone maintenance + terbutaline as needed). Results were descriptive statistics (no p-values reported).
Results between trials cannot be compared due to different trial designs.
Note: All inhaler dosages are expressed as delivered dose.
Trial name^^ | Duration | Patient population | Treatment arms and dose |
|---|---|---|---|
STEAM13 | 6 months | Patients aged ≥12 to 80 | BUD/FORM 80/4.5 µg (2 inhalation OD) + BUD/FORM as needed (n=355) OR |
STEP14 | 12 months | BUD/FORM 160/4.5 µg (2 inhalation OD) + BUD/FORM as needed (n=947) OR | |
SMILE15 | 12 months | Patients aged ≥12 | BUD/FORM 160/4.5 µg (1 inhalation BID) + TERB as needed 0.4 mg (n=1,138) OR |
COMPASS11 | 6 months | SAL/FLU 25/125 µg (2 inhalation BID) + TERB as needed 0.4 mg (n=1,074) OR |
Trial name^^ | Primary Endpoints |
|---|---|
| STEAM12,13 |
|
| STEP12,14 |
|
| SMILE12,15 |
|
| COMPASS11,12 |
|
^^2 trials were not included: AHEAD16 - did not meet its primary endpoint (time to first exacerbation); and COSMOS17 – it was not possible to accurately attribute the exacerbation rate to a specific drug dose as patients in the treatment arm were stepped up or down (according to clinical judgment).
Note: All studies presented are demonstrating secondary endpoint outcomes. These trials cannot be DIRECTLY compared as the primary endpoints differed, and the exacerbation rate was defined as reported in an inconsistent manner between these 4 trials
§Reported rates of severe exacerbation were those requiring medical intervention (i.e., hospitalization/ED treatment due to worsening asthma, or the need for systemic corticosteroids for asthma).
‡Patients with mild-to-moderate asthma.
†Patients with moderate-to-severe asthma.
SABA, Short-acting β2 agonists; MART, Maintenance And Reliever Therapy; ICS, Inhaled corticosteroids; LABA, long-acting β2 adrenoceptor agonists, pMDI, pressurised metered-dose inhaler, ARR, Absolute Risk Reduction; BDP, beclomethasone dipropionate; BID, twice daily; BUD, budesonide; FORM, formoterol; OCS, oral corticosteroid; OD, once daily; SAL, salmeterol; FLU, fluticasone; ED, emergency department; TERB, terbutaline.
GB-66302 | September 2025
Adverse events should be reported. Reporting forms and information can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. Adverse events should also be reported to AstraZeneca by visiting https://contactazmedical.astrazeneca.com/ or by calling 0800 783 0033.
This website was created for UK HCPs and has been designed to provide information to educate, empower and enable them in the great work they are doing for patients across a range of therapy areas. This website is intended for doctors, nurses, and pharmacists in the UK. Other UK residents please visit astrazeneca.co.uk.
