WARNINGS
Included as part of the PRECAUTIONS section.
PRECAUTIONS
Use for Maintenance Treatment Only
ATROVENT HFA is a bronchodilator for the maintenance
treatment of bronchospasm associated with COPD and is not indicated for the
initial treatment of acute episodes of bronchospasm where rescue therapy is
required for rapid response.
Hypersensitivity Reactions, Including Anaphylaxis
Hypersensitivity reactions including urticaria, angioedema,
rash, bronchospasm, anaphylaxis, and oropharyngeal edema may occur after the
administration of ATROVENT HFA. In clinical trials and post marketing
experience with ipratropium containing products, hypersensitivity reactions
such as skin rash, pruritus, angioedema of tongue, lips and face, urticaria
(including giant urticaria), laryngospasm and anaphylactic reactions have been
reported [see ADVERSE REACTIONS]. If such a reaction occurs, therapy
with ATROVENT HFA should be stopped at once and alternative treatment should be
considered [see CONTRAINDICATIONS].
Paradoxical Bronchospasm
ATROVENT HFA can produce paradoxical bronchospasm that can
be life threatening. If this occurs, treatment with ATROVENT HFA should be
stopped and other treatments considered.
Ocular Effects
ATROVENT HFA is an anticholinergic and its use may increase
intraocular pressure. This may result in precipitation or worsening of
narrow-angle glaucoma. Therefore, ATROVENT HFA should be used with caution in
patients with narrow-angle glaucoma.
Patients should avoid spraying ATROVENT HFA into their eyes.
If a patient sprays ATROVENT HFA into their eyes, they may cause eye pain or
discomfort, temporary blurring of vision, mydriasis, visual halos or colored
images in association with red eyes from conjunctival and corneal congestion.
Advise patients to consult their physician immediately if any of these symptoms
develop while using ATROVENT HFA Inhalation Aerosol.
Urinary Retention
ATROVENT HFA is an anticholinergic and may cause urinary
retention. Therefore caution is advised when administering ATROVENT HFA
Inhalation Aerosol to patients with prostatic hyperplasia, or bladder-neck obstruction [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].
Patient Counseling Information
See FDA-Approved Patient
Labeling
Appropriate and safe use of
ATROVENT HFA includes providing the patient with the information listed below
and an understanding of the way it should be administered [see FDA-approved
Patient Labeling].
Advise patients that ATROVENT HFA is a bronchodilator for
the maintenance treatment of bronchospasm associated with COPD and is not
indicated for the initial treatment of acute episodes of bronchospasm where
rescue therapy is required for rapid response.
Paradoxical Bronchospasm
Inform patients that ATROVENT HFA can produce paradoxical
bronchospasm that can be life-threatening. If paradoxical bronchospasm occurs,
patients should discontinue using ATROVENT HFA.
Ocular Effects
Caution patients to avoid spraying the aerosol into their
eyes and be advised that this may result in precipitation or worsening of
narrow-angle glaucoma, mydriasis, increased intraocular pressure, acute eye
pain or discomfort, temporary blurring of vision, visual halos or colored
images in association with red eyes from conjunctival and corneal congestion.
Patients should also be advised that should any combination of these symptoms
develop, they should consult their physician immediately.
Since dizziness, accommodation disorder, mydriasis, and
blurred vision may occur with use of ATROVENT, patients should be cautioned
about engaging in activities requiring balance and visual acuity such as
driving a car or operating appliances or machinery.
Urinary Retention
Inform patients that ATROVENT HFA may cause urinary
retention and should be advised to consult their physicians if they experience
difficulty with urination.
Frequency of Use
The action of ATROVENT HFA should last 2-4 hours. Advise
patients not to increase the dose or frequency of ATROVENT HFA without patients
consulting their physician. Advise patients to seek immediate medical attention
if treatment with ATROVENT HFA becomes less effective for symptomatic relief,
their symptoms become worse, and/or patients need to use the product more
frequently than usual.
Concomitant Drug Use
Advise patients on the use of ATROVENT HFA in relation to
other inhaled drugs.
Use Only as Prescribed
Remind patients that ATROVENT HFA should be used
consistently as prescribed throughout the course of therapy.
Preparation for Use and Priming
Instruct patients that priming ATROVENT HFA is essential to
ensure appropriate content of the medication in each actuation. Patients do not
have to shake the ATROVENT HFA canister before use [see FDA-approved Patient
Labeling].
FDA-Approved Patient Labeling
Remind patients to read and follow the accompanying “Instructions
for Use”, which should be dispensed with the product.
Nonclinical Toxicology
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility
Two-year oral carcinogenicity studies in rats and mice have
revealed no carcinogenic activity at doses up to 6 mg/kg (approximately 240 and
120 times the maximum recommended human daily inhalation dose (MRHDID) in
adults on a mg/m² basis,
respectively). Results of various mutagenicity/clastogenicity studies (Ames
test, mouse dominant lethal test, mouse micronucleus test and chromosome
aberrations of bone marrow in Chinese hamsters) were negative.
Fertility of male or female rats at oral doses up to 50
mg/kg (approximately 2000 times the MRHDID in adults on a mg/m² basis) was unaffected by
ipratropium bromide administration. At an oral dose of 500 mg/kg (approximately
20,000 times the MRHDID in adults on a mg/m² basis), ipratropium bromide produced a decrease in the
conception rate.
Use In Specific Populations
Pregnancy
Teratogenic Effects: Pregnancy Category B
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of
ATROVENT HFA (ipratropium bromide) Inhalation Aerosol in pregnant women.
ATROVENT HFA should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit
justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Oral reproduction studies were performed in mice, rats and
rabbits at doses approximately 200, 40,000, and 10,000 times, respectively, the
maximum recommended human daily inhalation dose (MRHDID) in adults (on a mg/m² basis at maternal doses in each
species of 10, 1,000, and 125 mg/kg/day, respectively). Inhalation reproduction
studies were conducted in rats and rabbits at doses approximately 60 and 140
times, respectively, the MRHDID in adults (on a mg/m² basis at maternal doses of 1.5 and 1.8 mg/kg/day,
respectively). These studies demonstrated no evidence of teratogenic effects as
a result of ipratropium bromide. Embryotoxicity was observed as increased
resorption in rats at oral doses approximately 3,600 times the MRHDID in adults
(on a mg/m² basis at maternal
doses of 90 mg/kg/day and above). This effect is not considered relevant to
human use due to the large doses at which it was observed and the difference in
route of administration.
Nursing Mothers
It is not known whether the active component, ipratropium
bromide, is excreted in human milk. Because lipid-insoluble quaternary cations
pass into breast milk, caution should be exercised when ATROVENT HFA is
administered to a nursing mother.
Pediatric Use
Safety and effectiveness in the pediatric population have
not been established.
Geriatric Use
In the pivotal 12-week study, both ATROVENT HFA and ATROVENT
CFC formulations were equally effective in patients over 65 years of age and
under 65 years of age. Of the total number of subjects in clinical studies of
ATROVENT HFA, 57% were ≥ 65 years of age. No overall differences in
safety or effectiveness were observed between these subjects and younger
subjects.