Azmacort

Pronounced: AZ-ma-court
Generic name: Triamcinolone acetonide
Other brand names: Nasacort, Nasacort AQ

Why is Azmacort prescribed?

Azmacort and Nasacort are metered-dose inhalers containing the anti-inflammatory steroid medication, triamcinolone acetonide; Nasacort AQ is a metered-dose pump spray. Azmacort is used as long-term therapy to control bronchial asthma attacks. Nasacort and Nasacort AQ are prescribed to relieve the symptoms of hay fever and other nasal allergies. Nasacort is also used in the treatment of nasal polyps (projecting masses of tissue in the nose).

Most important fact about Azmacort

Azmacort does not provide rapid relief in an asthma attack. Instead, it reduces the frequency and severity of attacks when taken on a regular basis. For quick relief, you must still use airway-opening medications.

How should you take Azmacort?

Take these drugs on a regular daily basis, exactly as prescribed. With Azmacort and Nasacort, you should begin to see improvement after a week, although it may take 2 weeks or more to achieve the greatest benefit. Nasacort AQ should begin to produce results on the first day, but will take a week to yield maximum benefit.

Shake the canister or bottle before each use. The Azmacort inhaler must be primed with 2 activations whenever it has been unused for more than 3 days. Do not use an Azmacort inhaler more than 240 times. Discard the Nasacort canister after 100 inhalations and the Nasacort AQ bottle after 120 actuations.

If the drug irritates your throat, gargling and rinsing your mouth with water after each dose can help to relieve the problem.

If you are using a bronchodilator inhalant, it should be used before the Azmacort inhalant to derive the best effects from this drug. Use of the two inhalers should be separated by several minutes.

Do not spray Nasacort directly onto the bone that separates the nostrils. Avoid spraying either medication in your eyes.

Illustrated instructions for use are available with the product.