Onbrez Breezhaler

Onbrez Breezhaler contains indacaterol, an ultra-long-acting beta-2 adrenoceptor agonist (LABA) indicated for the maintenance bronchodilator treatment of airflow obstruction in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

It is taken once daily and provides sustained 24-hour bronchodilation.

Indacaterol works by selectively stimulating beta-2 adrenergic receptors on airway smooth muscle cells.

This activation triggers intracellular signalling pathways that lead to relaxation of the smooth muscle, resulting in bronchodilation and improved expiratory airflow.

The drug has a rapid onset of action, with clinically meaningful bronchodilation occurring within 5 minutes of inhalation, and its effects persist for at least 24 hours.

The Breezhaler device is a single-dose dry powder inhaler. Each dose is loaded as a capsule into the device before inhalation.

The capsule spins inside the device during inhalation, producing a whirring sound that provides feedback to the patient. After use, the used capsule is removed and discarded.

This system ensures each dose is individually sealed for stability.

Inhale the contents of one capsule once daily at the same time each day using the Breezhaler device. Do not swallow the capsule.

Place the capsule in the inhaler chamber, close the mouthpiece, press the side buttons to pierce the capsule, then inhale deeply and forcefully through the device.

You should hear the capsule whirring. Check the capsule after use; if powder remains, inhale again. Onbrez is a maintenance treatment and should not be used for acute breathlessness.

The recommended dose is 150 micrograms once daily. For patients with severe COPD who do not respond adequately to 150 micrograms, the dose may be increased to 300 micrograms once daily.

Do not exceed 300 micrograms in 24 hours. No dose adjustment is required in elderly patients or those with mild to moderate renal or hepatic impairment.

Common (1 in 10 to 1 in 100): upper respiratory tract infection, nasopharyngitis, cough, headache, muscle spasm.

Uncommon (1 in 100 to 1 in 1,000): oropharyngeal pain, rhinorrhoea, dizziness, palpitations, pruritus, rash, musculoskeletal pain.

Rare (1 in 1,000 to 1 in 10,000): paradoxical bronchospasm, hypersensitivity reactions, tachycardia, peripheral oedema, hyperglycaemia.

Cough shortly after inhalation is common and usually transient, lasting only a few seconds.

Onbrez should not be used to treat acute episodes of bronchospasm. Deterioration of COPD or increasing need for rescue bronchodilator use indicates the need for medical reassessment.

Use with caution in patients with cardiovascular disorders, particularly ischaemic heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, and QT prolongation.

Hypokalaemia may occur, especially when high-dose beta-2 agonists are used with concomitant thiazide diuretics, loop diuretics, or corticosteroids.

Blood glucose levels may increase; monitor diabetic patients more closely.

Onbrez is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to indacaterol or any of the excipients, including lactose (which contains trace amounts of milk proteins).

It is not indicated for the treatment of asthma, as the safety and efficacy of indacaterol in asthma have not been established.