Formoterol, also known as eformoterol, is a long-acting β₂ agonist (LABA) used as a

bronchodilator A bronchodilator or broncholytic (although the latter occasionally includes secretory inhibition as well) is a substance that dilates the bronchi and bronchioles, decreasing resistance in the respiratory airway and increasing airflow to the lun ...

in the management of

asthma Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wh ...

and

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of progressive lung disease characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. GOLD defines COPD as a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by chronic respiratory s ...

(COPD). Formoterol has an extended duration of action (up to 12 h) compared to short-acting β₂ agonists such as

salbutamol Salbutamol, also known as albuterol and sold under the brand name Ventolin among others, is a medication that opens up the medium and large airways in the lungs. It is a short-acting β2 adrenergic receptor agonist that causes relaxation of ...

(albuterol), which are effective for 4 h to 6 h. Formoterol has a relatively rapid onset of action compared to other LABAs, and is effective within 2-3 minutes. The 2022

Global Initiative for Asthma The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) is a medical guidelines organisation which works with public health officials and health care professionals globally to reduce asthma prevalence, morbidity, and mortality. GINA was launched in 1993 as a colla ...

report recommends a combination formoterol/inhaled corticosteroid inhaler as both a preventer and reliever treatment for asthma in adults. In children, a short-acting β₂ adrenergic agonist (e.g.,

) is still recommended. It was patented in 1972 and came into medical use in 1998. It is available as a

generic medication A generic drug is a pharmaceutical drug that contains the same chemical substance as a drug that was originally protected by chemical patents. Generic drugs are allowed for sale after the patents on the original drugs expire. Because the active ch ...

. It is also marketed in the combination formulations budesonide/formoterol and

mometasone/formoterol Mometasone/formoterol, sold under the brand name Dulera among others, is a fixed-dose combination medication used in the long-term treatment of asthma. It contains mometasone a steroid and formoterol a long-acting beta agonist. It is only rec ...

Side effects

In November 2005, the US

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...

(FDA) released a health advisory alerting the public to findings that show the use of long-acting β₂ agonists could lead to a worsening of wheezing symptoms in some patients. Nowadays, available long-acting β₂ agonists include

salmeterol Salmeterol is a Long-acting beta-adrenoceptor agonist, long-acting β2 adrenergic receptor agonist (LABA) used in the treatment and prevention of asthma symptoms and control of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms. Symptoms of b ...

, formoterol,

bambuterol Bambuterol (INN) is a long-acting β adrenoceptor agonist (LABA) used in the treatment of asthma; it also is a prodrug of terbutaline. Commercially, the AstraZeneca pharmaceutical company produces and markets bambuterol as Bambec and Oxeol. It ...

, and sustained-release oral

. Combinations of inhaled steroids and long-acting bronchodilators are becoming more widespread – combination preparations include

fluticasone/salmeterol Fluticasone/salmeterol, sold under the brand name Advair among others, is a fixed-dose combination medication containing fluticasone propionate, an inhaled corticosteroid; and salmeterol, a long-acting beta2‑adrenergic agonist. It is used i ...

and budesonide/formoterol.

Mechanism of action

Inhaled formoterol works like other β₂ agonists, causing bronchodilation by relaxing the smooth muscle in the airway so as to treat the exacerbation of asthma.

Society and culture

Brand names

Formoterol is marketed in three forms: a

dry-powder inhaler A dry-powder inhaler (DPI) is a device that delivers medication to the lungs in the form of a dry powder. DPIs are commonly used to treat respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and COPD although DPIs (such as inhalable insul ...

(DPI), a

metered-dose inhaler A metered-dose inhaler (MDI) is a device that delivers a specific amount of medication to the lungs in the form of a short burst of aerosolized medicine that is usually self-administered by the patient via inhalation. It is the most commonly used ...

(MDI) and an inhalation solution, under various brand names including Atock, Atimos/Atimos Modulite, Foradil/Foradile, Fostair, Oxeze/Oxis, Perforomist and Symbicort. * Foradil/Foradile capsules for oral inhalation (

Schering-Plough Schering-Plough Corporation was an American pharmaceutical company. It was originally the U.S. subsidiary of the German company Schering AG, which was founded in 1851 by Ernst Christian Friedrich Schering. As a result of nationalization, it becam ...

in the U.S.,

Novartis Novartis AG is a Swiss multinational corporation, multinational pharmaceutical company, pharmaceutical corporation based in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world and was the eighth largest by re ...

rest of world) * Oxeze/Oxis Turbuhaler dry-powder inhaler (DPI) (

AstraZeneca AstraZeneca plc () (AZ) is a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with its headquarters at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in Cambridge, UK. It has a portfolio of products for major diseases in areas includi ...

) * Atock ( Astellas) * Atimos/Atimos Modulite metered-dose inhaler (MDI) ( Chiesi) * Perforomist inhalation

solution Solution may refer to: * Solution (chemistry), a mixture where one substance is dissolved in another * Solution (equation), in mathematics ** Numerical solution, in numerical analysis, approximate solutions within specified error bounds * Solu ...

( Mylan N.V.) * Symbicort Turbuhaler dry-powder inhaler (DPI) (AstraZeneca) In some countries, Perforomist is marketed by

Viatris Viatris Inc. is an American global pharmaceutical and healthcare corporation headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. The corporation was formed through the merger of Mylan and Upjohn, a legacy division of Pfizer, on November 16, 2020. The ...

after Upjohn merged with Mylan to create Viatris.

Uses and combinations

* Arformoterol ((''R'',''R'')-(−)-formoterol) — an

enantiopure In chemistry, an enantiomer ( /ɪˈnænti.əmər, ɛ-, -oʊ-/ ''ih-NAN-tee-ə-mər''), also known as an optical isomer, antipode, or optical antipode, is one of a pair of molecular entities which are mirror images of each other and non-superpos ...

compound used in the management of

COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of progressive lung disease characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. GOLD defines COPD as a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by chronic respiratory s ...

* Combination drugs: ** Aclidinium bromide/formoterol ** Budesonide/formoterol ** Mometasone furoate/formoterol

References

{{Portal bar , Medicine Beta2-adrenergic agonists 4-Methoxyphenyl compounds Phenols Drugs developed by Schering-Plough Drugs developed by Merck & Co. Drugs developed by AstraZeneca Drugs developed by Novartis Formamides Substituted amphetamines Phenylethanolamines pnb:آمو دریا