No, but it’s easy to see why there may be some confusion. Breo contains two drugs. In clinical studies, people who took only one of the drugs in Breo had an increased risk for serious asthma attacks. But this wasn’t the case for people who took both of the drugs in Breo.
The first drug that Breo contains is fluticasone furoate, which belongs to a class of drugs called inhaled corticosteroid (ICSs). The second drug is vilanterol trifenatate, a long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist (LABA).
Using LABA drugs alone has shown to increase the risk of serious asthma attacks. In some clinical studies, people took LABAs alone for asthma. These people had an increased risk for asthma-related problems including hospitalization and even death.
In other clinical studies, people took LABAs with inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs). There were no additional risks for asthma-related problems when taking both LABAs and ICSs. Therefore, LABAs should be used with ICSs to the reduce risk of serious asthma attacks.
In severe cases, COPD and asthma can cause death. If you think you’re having a serious asthma attack, call your doctor right away. If your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.