How does SYMBICORT increase the risk of asthma-related death?

Why do long acting beta2 agonists (found in Advair, Symbicort) increase the risk of Asthma related death?

• Why do these long acting bronchodialators increase the risks of asthma death? I understand that a problem is broncho-dialation is increased, remaining inflamation may be left untreated, thus the need to combine these medicines with inhaled corticosteriods. But does anyone know WHY else there might be a connection between LABA's and Asthmatic severity?

• Answer:

  Because some people treat them as resue inhalers when they are NOT. They have a much longer onset campared to resue inhalers like Albuterol and Levalbuterol and some people not knowing this take them for acute attacks and it does not help immediatly increasing the risk of death. If you have a severe acute attack you do need steroids too, but in the ER they usually give them IV with drugs such as salumedrol, decadron, or celestone as well as inhaled steroids. This is why people must take Advair and Symbicort as directed. They are preventitive meds and are supposed to be taken Twice a day no matter what. Even if you are feeling fine. The LABA may also take up the beta receptor sites in the lungs if taken before a short acting agonist there may be less sites to bind to rendering it less effective.