Pulmicort (Pulmicort) analogs for inhalation. Price

Pulmicort is a corticosteroid hormone for inhalation, containing budesonide as the main component. It is released in the form of a solution for inhalation administration through a nebulizer. One of the absolute analogues - Pulmicort Turbuhaler - dosed powder for inhalation.

The drug is used in the treatment of broncho-pulmonary diseases, accompanied by obstruction and inflammation. It is prescribed for asthma, COPD, obstructive bronchitis. If it is impossible to use Pulmicort for the patient, his substitutes are selected individually according to the composition or mechanism of therapeutic action.

Domestic and imported analogues

Pulmicort (analogs for inhalations are selected if it is impossible to use it) is a hormonal drug, so the patient may have contraindications to its use. The main one is the hypersensitivity of the patient's body to certain substances that make up the drug, or the lack of the drug on sale at the time of initiation of therapy.

Another drug for inhalation is selected by the attending physician - therapist, pulmonologist or pediatrician (children under 18 years of age). The following drugs are used to relieve bronchial obstruction and uncontrolled inflammation.

Berodual

Combined medication containing fenoterol and ipratropium bromide as active substances.

The drug has only 3 similarities with Pulmicort:

• one of the forms of release (inhaler containing an aerosol);
• the ability to remove bronchial obstruction;
• similar indications for appointment.

The differences between the drug and Pulmicort are:

• Belonging to another group of medicines. Berodual is a bronchodilator, the main therapeutic property of which is expansion of the bronchial lumen, relief of breathing and stimulation of coughing up secretions accumulated in the bronchi. Pulmicort is a topical glucocorticosteroid with anti-inflammatory activity.
• Composition. Berodual is a combined product containing two active substances that do not belong to hormones. Pulmicort is a monopreparation that contains only one active ingredient from the group of corticosteroid hormones.
• Manufacturer. Berodual is a drug manufactured in Germany, Pulmicort is produced by a Swiss pharmaceutical company.
• The mechanism of action. Berodual does not have an anti-inflammatory effect, unlike Pulmicort. This is a drug that is intended only for symptomatic treatment, in particular, relieving bronchial obstruction, expanding the lumen of the bronchi and eliminating an attack of poison in asthma or COPD.
• Use in the treatment of children. Berodual is not intended for the treatment of asthmatic attacks in young patients under 6 years of age.
• Application during pregnancy. Pulmicort can be used if necessary to relieve inflammatory processes in the respiratory system and bronchial obstruction in pregnant women. For medicinal purposes, the minimum effective dose of an inhaled corticosteroid is used, regardless of gestational age. Berodual is contraindicated for expectant mothers in the 1st trimester of pregnancy. In the future, its appointment is possible only in exceptional cases. Before using a bronchodilator, the "benefit / risk" for the fetus must be compared.

Pulmicort, analogs for inhalation of which do not include Berodual in composition, cannot be combined with GCS. But it can be used in parallel with Berodual. The analog itself can be used separately from other medicines in order to relieve the symptoms of COPD or bronchial asthma.

Salbutamol

Salbutamol - bronchodilator, beta₂-adrenomimetic. It has a bronchodilatory effect that occurs within 5 minutes from the moment of administration. The therapeutic effect is short-lived, lasting from 4 to 6 hours. The medicine is dispensed in the form of an aerosol in cans placed in a plastic container, tablets with regular and prolonged action and solution for intravenous infusion.

There are few similarities between Pulmicort and Salbutamol.

Among them:

• one of the forms of release (inhaler containing metered aerosol or powder);
• use for the same pathologies of the respiratory system;
• the ability to remove bronchial obstruction.

How Salbutamol differs from Pulmicort:

• belongs to a different pharmacological group;
• has no anti-inflammatory effect;
• does not contain hormones in the composition;
• produced in tablet form;
• intended for symptomatic therapy;
• the inhaler is prescribed for children from 6 years old;
• can be administered intravenously.

Salbutamol is a drug from a Swedish manufacturer. It can complement complex therapy, which includes Pulmicort, or be used alone for symptomatic treatment with single obstructions and bronchospasms. But as a separate agent for maintenance therapy for COPD or bronchial asthma, it cannot be used, unlike Pulmicort.

Ventolin

Ventolin - turbuhaler (aerosol inhaler) or nebula. It belongs to the group of relative substitutes for Pulmicort. It is an absolute substitute for Salbutamol, since it contains an identical active substance.

Differences table between the compared drugs - Ventolin and Pulmicort:

Characteristic	Pulmicort	Ventolin
Compound	Budesonide	Salbutamol
Pharmacological group	Inhaled glucocorticosteroids	Bronchodilators
Belonging to hormones	Yes	No
Application features	First-line drug in the treatment of chronic obstructive diseases of the bronchopulmonary system and bronchial asthma.	Remedy for symptomatic treatment
Anti-inflammatory activity	Possesses	Does not have
Interchangeability and the possibility of simultaneous use	The drugs are not interchangeable, but they can be used simultaneously as part of complex therapy.

Pulmicort, analogs for inhalation of which do not always contain the same active substance and may have a different mechanism of action, has one more similarity with Ventolin. Both drugs are dispensed in the form of solutions for inhalation through a nebulizer and aerosols, placed in balloons and plastic containers.

Budesonide Nativ

Compositionally analogous to Pulmicort are products with a similar active substance. One of them is Budesonide Nativ: a suspension, packaged in nebulizers, used for inhalation with a nebulizer. It contains a concentration of active substance equal to 250 or 500 μg per 1 ml of solution.

Differs from Pulmicort:

• Excipients included in the composition. Additional components of Pulmicort are sodium chloride and citrate, disodium edetate, citric acid, polysorbate 80, purified water. Budesonide Nativ contains nipagin, succinic acid, Trilon B, polyethylene oxide 400, propylene glycol and purified water as auxiliary substances.
• Variations in release forms. Budesonide-native is not available in the form of a turbuhaler, unlike Pulmicort.

Indications and contraindications for the appointment, precautions, dosage regimen, features and duration of use are the same for both compared drugs.

Symbicort

Pulmicort, analogs for inhalation of which may have a combined composition, can be replaced with Symbicort. The active components of the drug are formoterol and budesonide. It is dispensed in the form of a metered powder or aerosol for inhalation administration. The drug is similar to Pulmicort in its mechanism of action, they have a common active ingredient, budesonide.

Differences between the compared products:

• Compound. Pulmicort is a one-component inhalation preparation, while Symbicort contains 2 active substances.
• Dosage forms. The analog is not manufactured as a solution for inhalation use using a nebulizer. The forms of its release are aerosol and powder for inhalation, placed in a balloon and located in a plastic container.
• Therapeutic action. Pulmicort has a pronounced anti-inflammatory activity. Symbicort is characterized not only by the ability to fight the inflammatory process, but also to expand the lumen of the bronchi (to have a bronchodilator effect).
• Appointment to children. Symbicort can be used by children from 6 years old, Pulmicort in nebulas for inhalation with a nebulizer - from 6 months.

The drugs are not interchangeable. They can be used separately or simultaneously as part of a comprehensive treatment regimen. However, Symbicort is allowed to be used to control the course of obstructive respiratory diseases - COPD or asthma.

Spiriva Respimat

The active substance of the drug is tiotropium monohydrate. The drug is dispensed in the form of a solution for inhalation, packaged in cartridges that are placed in an aluminum cylinder. The set includes the Respimat device, which ensures the procedure for the inhalation of active components.

General characteristics of medicines:

• the form of release in the form of a ready-made inhaler containing an aerosol for spraying and inhalation;
• the ability to fight bronchial obstruction;
• identical indications for the appointment.

The differences between Spiriva and Pulmicort are:

• The mechanism of action. Tiotropium monohydrate is a bronchodilator that expands the bronchial lumen, facilitates breathing and stimulates sputum discharge. The component does not have the anti-inflammatory properties characteristic of budesonide. Spiriva does not belong to the GCS group, since it does not contain a hormonal component.
• Pharmacotherapeutic group. Spiriva is a medicine from the category of M-anticholinergics, Pulmicort (budesonide) refers to corticosteroids for inhalation administration.
• Application in childhood. The effect of tiotropium monohydrate on the body of young and minor children has not been studied. In this regard, patients under 18 years of age should refrain from using Spiriva Respimat. For Pulmicort, such restrictions are not typical.

The drug Spiriva Respimat is allowed to be combined with Pulmicort in any form of release.

Foster

Foster is a metered dose inhalation aerosol.

It is a combined preparation containing 2 active ingredients:

• formoterol, a selective beta antagonist₂-adrenergic receptors;
• beclomethasone, belonging to the group of localized corticosteroids.

The active substances of the drug have different mechanisms of action, but they complement and support the therapeutic effect of each other.

With Pulmicort, the Foster inhaler has only a few similarities:

• form of release (inhaler);
• indications for use: bronchial asthma, COPD, obstructive bronchitis in the chronic phase;
• the presence of a hormonal component in the composition.

The main differences between the drugs are:

• Compound. Foster is a combined product that contains 2 components at the same time. The Pulmicort formula is based on only 1 active substance from the GCS group.
• Features of the application. Pulmicort is prescribed in the phase of exacerbation of diseases of the bronchopulmonary system in order to relieve the acute inflammatory process. With a decrease in the intensity of the symptoms of pathology, the dose of the drug is gradually reduced, after which it is completely canceled. Foster is intended for the supportive treatment of bronchial asthma and the control of its further course. It can be prescribed for a long period of time at the lowest effective therapeutic dose.
• Release form. Foster is dispensed only in the form of a metered aerosol placed in a vial for inhalation. In the form of a solution for inhalation administration using a nebulizer, the agent is not produced.

In the acute phase of the disease, drugs can be combined. After the disappearance of pronounced obstruction, the dose of Pulmicort is slowly reduced until its use is completely stopped. The use of Foster after the abolition of GCS is possible for several more weeks.

Seretid

Seretide is a combined agent used in the treatment of obstructive and inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system.

The medicine contains 2 active substances:

• salmeterol, which has bronchodilatory properties;
• fluticasone is an anti-inflammatory glucocorticosteroid.

Seretid is released in 2 variations:

• Seretid Evohaler. A metered-dose suspension for inhalation, enclosed in an aluminum can, which is placed in a plastic container.
• Seretid Discus. Inhalation powder placed in a round plastic container with a recharge lever. On one side of the discus there is a "window" where the number of doses remaining is indicated.

General properties of Seretide and Pulmicort:

• elimination of the inflammatory process;
• the same indications for use;
• the presence of a hormonal component in the composition.

Distinctive characteristics of Seretide:

• two forms of release (inhalers);
• combined composition;
• bronchodilator action;
• lack of release form in the form of a solution for inhalation through a nebulizer;
• the possibility of long-term use;
• use for maintenance therapy in patients with COPD and bronchial asthma.

Seretide, unlike Pulmicort, cannot be prescribed to children from an early age. The drug is allowed to be prescribed to young patients over 4 years old. Until that time, it is advisable to use medications similar in the mechanism of action for maintenance therapy in bronchial asthma. For example, a combination of Pulmicort and Salbutamol (Ventolin), administered using an inhaler-nebulizer.

Prices

The estimated cost of the drug Pulmicort in the form of a suspension for inhalation is from 667 rubles. up to 718 rubles. Medicinal product analogs may belong to a different price category. Approximate prices are shown in the table.

Drug name	Price
Berodual	From 314 to 430 rubles.
Salbutamol	From 83 to 119 rubles.
Ventolin	From 157 to 322 rubles.
Budesonide-Nativ	From 289 to 309 rubles.
Symbicort	From 779 to 1650 rub.
Spiriva Respimat	From 1,885 to 2,207 rubles
Foster	From 2005 to 2,264 rubles.
Seretid	From 558 to 2.071 rub.

Pulmicort's analogs can vary in cost. The price for them depends on the region of residence of the patient and the pharmacy chain. Only a doctor should select glucocorticosteroid substitutes for inhalation. Some of the drugs described above cannot replace Pulmicort, and many of them are combined with this drug.

The prescription of specific types of medication depends on the diagnosis, the severity of the course of the disease and the therapeutic response from the patient's body. Therefore, it is not only impractical, but also unsafe to determine the degree of need to use Pulmicort or its analogs without a specialist.

Video about Pulmicort analogues

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