Advair Side Effects on Liver
- GSK's Medication Guide advises that anyone with liver problems consult with their physician before taking Advair. The guide also states that no hepatic or renal testing has been performed on the medication despite the admission that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have received abnormal liver function tests after having taken Advair.
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The Advair Diskus is an inhalant for people who suffer from asthma and COPD. It treats and helps prevent the airway constriction and inflammation brought on by such irritants as cigarette smoke and pet dander. Advair is most commonly used twice daily, once in the morning and once at night as prescribed by the treating physician. - In addition to abnormal liver function tests, GSK states that the logical accumulation of fluticasone propionate and salmeterol could be harmful to the liver. Both salmeterol and fluticasone propionate are metabolized in the liver. As a result, GSK advises that all patients with liver conditions be closely monitored when using Advair.
- In 2008, a joint medical panel of members from the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes released a statement advising against the use of GSK's diabetes medication, Avandia. This came one year after public charges of cardiac and liver safety were leveled against GlaxoSmithKline regarding the drug. GSK continues to maintain that Avandia is no less a threat to the liver than its competitors.
- The most common side effects of Advair are ear, nose, throat and general respiratory irritation, headaches, muscle aches and stomach irritation. The inhalant has been known to cause high blood pressure, increased heart rate and changes in heart rhythm, so it is important that those suffering from high blood pressure or heart conditions talk to their physicians first. Advair has also been proven to affect the growth rate of pediatric patients.
