Survey reveals need for better access to levalbuterol for asthma patients

A recent electronic survey of US asthma experts demonstrated the need for better access to levalbuterol, the fast-acting medicine used to treat the narrowing of airways (bronchospasm) caused by asthma, for selected patients.

100% of the doctors surveyed reported that some of their patients suffer "annoying" side-effects, such as hyperactivity and jitteriness with a similar and more commonly prescribed drug - albuterol. While the majority of the experts said that side effects occurred in less than 20% of their patients, several experts (4%) said that over half (50%) of their patients treated with albuterol experienced these symptoms.

All patients with asthma require a short-acting bronchodilator as rescue for acute symptoms. Albuterol is available in the US under the tradenames of ProAir®, Ventolin®and Proventil® and levalbuterol is available as Xopenex® or Brovana®.

The survey data indicate that some patients choose not to use albuterol rather than suffer the side effects, even when it means their symptoms get worse. This results in suboptimal asthma control and increased health care costs.

Although most of the surveyed physicians prefer to prescribe levalbuterol for such patients, many are unable to do so. Access to the product is limited either by cost disincentives (higher co-pays) or, in the case of some insurers, formulary exclusion. More than 20% of the survey respondents said they could not prescribe levalbuterol, and saw this as a barrier to optimal patient care.

The survey resulted in the publication of a Consensus Statement authored by some of the most respected asthma treaters in the US, who concluded that levalbuterol should be available as an alternate treatment for albuterol-intolerant patients.