What is the Difference Between Flovent and Albuterol

The key difference between Flovent and Albuterol is that Flovent is a long-acting corticosteroid with anti-inflammatory properties, while Albuterol is a short-acting beta-2 adrenergic agonist that relaxes the muscles in the airways when treating asthma.

Flovent and Albuterol are different drugs that are primarily used to treat asthma. Flovent is primarily prescribed to prevent asthma attacks, while Albuterol is prescribed to treat asthma attacks that have already begun. In addition, Flovent is also used to treat other conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. They are available in metered-dose inhalers that deliver the medication in a fine mist into the lungs. Both medications are generally regarded as safe medications for treating asthma. However, still, they can cause side effects such as cough, hoarseness, and tremor. Therefore, it is essential to consult a healthcare provider when choosing a suitable medication.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Flovent  
3. What is Albuterol
4. Similarities – Flovent and Albuterol
5. Flovent vs Albuterol in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Flovent vs Albuterol

What is Flovent?

Flovent is a brand name for the medication whose generic name is fluticasone propionate. It is an inhaled corticosteroid primarily used to manage and prevent asthma, inflammatory pruritic dermatoses, and nonallergic rhinitis. Flovent activates glucocorticoid receptors and reduces airway inflammation to decrease the swelling and irritations in the bronchial tubes. Flovent is available in different strengths and formulations in inhaler devices.

Flovent is not intended for immediate relief during an asthma attack. It is a maintenance medication that needs to be used regularly to keep the airways open and reduce the risk of asthma exacerbation. Common side effects of Flovent include throat irritation, hoarseness, cough, headache, and candidiasis. Rinsing the mouth after using the inhaler reduces the risk of thrush. The bioavailability of intranasally administered Flovent is less than 2%, and 99% of the available drug remains bound with the plasma proteins. The drug clears the hepatic metabolism and is mainly eliminated in feces.

What is Albuterol?

Albuterol or salbutamol prevents and treats acute and chronic bronchospasm related to reversible obstructive airway disease. In addition, it is also used for the prevention of exercise-induced bronchospasm. Albuterol relaxes the bronchial muscle cells by acting on the beta-2 adrenergic receptors. Furthermore, Albuterol inhibits the release of hypersensitivity mediators from mast cells. Albuterol is available in various dosing forms, such as aerosol meters, tablets, nebulized solutions, and oral syrups.

A nebulizer solution with a concentration of 2.5 to 5 mg every 20 minutes for three cycles is recommended for treating acute or severe bronchospasm. The primary adverse effects of Albuterol include tremors and nervousness. In addition, insomnia, nausea, hypertension, and hypokalemia are considered the other side effects of Albuterol. After inhalation, Albuterol is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the lungs and reaches plasma concentration within 5-10 minutes. The bioavailability of inhaled Albuterol is much higher than that of oral Albuterol. The cytochrome p450 enzyme system extensively metabolizes the drug in the liver.

What are the Similarities Between Flovent and Albuterol?

• Flovent and Albuterol are inhaled medications.
• They work by relaxing the muscles in the airway, which makes it easier to breathe.
• Both these drugs are available in metered-dose inhalers.
• They commonly treat asthma symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.

What is the Difference Between Flovent and Albuterol?

Flovent and Albuterol are different medications used to treat asthma and are different in various attributes. Flovent is a long-acting corticosteroid that reduces airway inflammation as a maintenance therapy to prevent asthma attacks. In contrast, Albuterol is a short-acting beta-2 agonist that relaxes the airway muscles quickly as a rescue medication to treat an asthma attack that has already begun. Thus, this is the key difference between Flovent and Albuterol. Flovent is typically administered twice daily using a metered-dose inhaler. On the other hand, Albuterol is available in various forms, including metered-dose inhalers, oral tablets, capsules, and liquids. The main side effects of Flovent include cough, hoarseness, sore throat, thrush, upper respiratory infections, and slowed growth in children. In contrast, the main side effects of Albuterol include shakiness, tremor, headache, rapid heart rate, muscle cramps, nausea, and vomiting.

The infographic below presents the differences between Flovent and Albuterol in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Flovent vs. Albuterol

Flovent and Albuterol are two medications commonly used to treat asthma. Flovent is primarily used as a maintenance medication for asthma, and Albuterol is used as a rescue medication in treating asthma attacks that have already begun. Flovent is a long-acting corticosteroid that reduces airway inflammation. In contrast, Albuterol is a short-acting beta-2 agonist that relaxes the muscles in the airway. Furthermore, the primary differences between Flovent and Albuterol include their mechanism of action, duration of action, dosage, and indications. However, these two drugs also share some common features, such as being inhaled type medications to relax the muscles in the airways and make it easier to breathe. Therefore, all these differences and similarities should be considered when deciding the correct treatment for managing asthma symptoms, and it is essential to consult a healthcare provider to decide on the proper medication for individuals.

Reference:

1. Messina, John C., et al. “A Randomized Comparison of the Pharmacokinetics and Bioavailability of Fluticasone Propionate Delivered via XHANCE Exhalation Delivery System versus Flonase Nasal Spray and Flovent HFA Inhalational Aerosol.” Clinical Therapeutics, vol. 41, no. 11, 2019, pp. 2343–2356.
2. Kaczka, David W., et al. “Airway and Lung Tissue Mechanics in Asthma.” American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, vol. 159, no. 1, 1999, pp. 169–178.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Fluticasone” By James Heilman, MD – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Salbutamol structure” By Karenbirna – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia