Salmeterol is a long-acting beta-2-adrenoreceptor agonist currently prescribed for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD. It has a longer duration of action than the short-acting beta-2-adrenoreceptor agonist salbutamol. Salmeterol is only available as an antiasthmatic agent for inhalation and requires a prescription.
Effect
Pharmacodynamics
Salmeterol is a long-acting beta-2-adrenoceptor agonist. Stimulation of the beta-2-adrenoceptor causes bronchial smooth muscle relaxation, bronchodilation, and improved airflow.
Pharmacokinetics
Salmeterol is 96% bound to albumin and alpha-1-acid glycoprotein in plasma. Salmeterol is metabolized predominantly by CYP3A4 to alpha-hydroxysalmeterol and to a lesser extent by an unknown mechanism to an O-dealkylated metabolite. Salmeterol is excreted 57.4% in feces and 23% in urine. Less than 5% of a dose is excreted in the urine as unchanged salmeterol. The half-life of salmeterol is 5.5 hours.
Toxicity
Side effects
Because of its vasodilator properties, the most common side effects of salmeterol are
Dizziness,
sinus infection
Migraine headache
Other side effects
Muscle tremors,
Hypokalemia
Certain side effects should be reported to a doctor or health care professional right away. Some of these more serious side effects include
Aktories, Förstermann, Hofmann, Starke: Allgemeine und spezielle Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Elsvier, 2017
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Markus Falkenstätter, BSc Author
Markus Falkenstätter is a writer on pharmaceutical topics in Medikamio's medical editorial team. He is in the last semester of his pharmacy studies at the University of Vienna and loves scientific work in the field of natural sciences.
Mag. pharm. Stefanie Lehenauer Lector
Stefanie Lehenauer has been a freelance writer for Medikamio since 2020 and studied pharmacy at the University of Vienna. She works as a pharmacist in Vienna and her passion is herbal medicines and their effects.
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