Tiotropium - a bronchodilator

About tiotropium

Tiotropium belongs to the group of medicines known as antimuscarinic bronchodilators. It is given to improve the airflow to your lungs. It works by opening up the air passages in your lungs so that air can flow into your lungs more freely.

Tiotropium can be helpful in relieving symptoms of chronisch obstruktive Lungenerkrankung (COPD). In this condition, the airflow to the lungs is restricted and this causes symptoms such as cough, wheeze and breathlessness. You will have been prescribed tiotropium to help reduce these symptoms. It is long-acting, which means that its effects last for 24 hours, so you only need to use it once each day. It is not a rescue treatment for sudden breathlessness.

Tiotropium is also available in a combination with another medicine used to ease the symptoms of COPD, called olodaterol. The brand name of this combination inhaler is Spiolto®.

Some tiotropium inhaler devices can be used for the management of severe asthma in adults and children aged 6 years or older. Your doctor will advise you if tiotropium is being used in this way.

Tiotropium inhaler devices are usually green-coloured.

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start using tiotropium it is important that your doctor knows:

• Wenn Sie Probleme mit Ihren Nieren oder Ihrer Prostata haben oder Schwierigkeiten beim Wasserlassen haben.

• Wenn Sie einen erhöhten Druck in Ihren Augen haben (Glaukom).

• Wenn Sie schwanger sind oder stillen.

• Wenn Sie andere Medikamente oder Inhalatoren einnehmen oder verwenden. Dies schließt alle Medikamente ein, die Sie ohne Rezept kaufen können, sowie pflanzliche und ergänzende Medikamente.

• Wenn Sie jemals eine allergische Reaktion auf ein Medikament hatten.
  

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about tiotropium, diagrams to remind you how to use the inhaler device, and a full list of side-effects which you may experience.

• Follow your doctor's instructions carefully and make sure you know how to use the inhaler device properly. There are two types of tiotropium inhaler device - one which uses a cartridge containing a liquid that produces a spray and one which uses capsules containing powder. If you are not sure how to use the device you have been given, please ask your nurse, doctor or pharmacist to show you what to do.

• Use your inhaler device once each day. (If you are using the Spiriva® Respimat inhaler, you will need to take two puffs.) Try to use the inhaler at the same time each day, as this will help you to remember to use it regularly. If you do forget at your usual time, use it as soon as you remember. If you do not remember until the following day, leave out the missed dose - do not take two doses together to make up for a forgotten dose.

• Treatment with tiotropium is usually long-term so you should continue to use it unless you are advised otherwise by your doctor. If you are currently using any other inhalers or nebulisers to help your breathing, please discuss with your doctor if there are any of these that you should no longer use. This is because you should not use any other antimuscarinic bronchodilator as well as tiotropium.

• Versuchen Sie, Ihre regelmäßigen Termine bei Ihrem Arzt einzuhalten. So kann Ihr Arzt Ihren Zustand regelmäßig überprüfen.

• Wenn Sie feststellen, dass sich Ihre Symptome verschlimmern oder dass Sie häufiger einen Entlastungsinhalator verwenden müssen, wenden Sie sich umgehend an Ihren Arzt oder Ihre Krankenschwester, um Rat zu erhalten.

• COPD is usually caused by smoking, so the most important treatment is to stop smoking. Smoking causes irritation and damage to the lungs and will make your condition worse. Speak with your doctor or practice nurse for further advice if you are having difficulty in stopping smoking.

• People with COPD who exercise regularly, tend to have improved breathing and a better quality of life. If you are not used to exercise, a daily walk is a good start if you are able to do this. Speak with your doctor about what level of activity will help your breathing and keep you as fit as possible.

• If you are overweight, it may help your breathing if you try to lose weight. This is because being overweight means that you have to work much harder to breathe in to inflate your lungs. A dietician will be able to give you advice on how to eat a healthy diet and lose weight.

• Remember to arrange to have your yearly 'flu jabs' each autumn. This will help protect you against influenza and any chest infections that develop due to it.

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the ones associated with tiotropium. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Wenn Sie andere Symptome bemerken, die Ihrer Meinung nach durch den Inhalator verursacht werden könnten, sprechen Sie bitte mit Ihrem Arzt oder Apotheker für weitere Ratschläge.

• Bewahren Sie alle Medikamente außerhalb der Reichweite und Sicht von Kindern auf.

• An einem kühlen, trockenen Ort aufbewahren, fern von direkter Hitze und Licht.