Trelegy Ellipta (fluticasone/umeclidinium/vilanterol) is a brand-name drug prescribed as a maintenance treatment for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adults. It comes as a dry powder inhaler typically used once per day.
Trelegy Ellipta contains the following active ingredients:
- fluticasone, a corticosteroid
- umeclidinium, an anticholinergic drug
- vilanterol, a long-acting beta2 agonist
Trelegy Ellipta isn’t available in a generic version.
Keep reading for specific information about the dosage of Trelegy Ellipta, including its strengths and how to use the medication. For a comprehensive look at Trelegy Ellipta, see this article.
Note: This article describes typical dosages for Trelegy Ellipta provided by the drug’s manufacturer. When taking Trelegy Ellipta, always follow the dosage prescribed by your doctor.
Below is information about Trelegy Ellipta’s recommended dosages.
Trelegy Ellipta form
Trelegy Ellipta comes as a dry powder inhaler, which combines the three drugs as powders you breathe in through your mouth.
Trelegy Ellipta strengths
Trelegy Ellipta comes in two strengths:
- 100 micrograms (mcg) of fluticasone, 62.5 mcg of umeclidinium, and 25 mcg of vilanterol per dose, written as 100/62.5/25 mcg
- 200 mcg of fluticasone, 62.5 mcg of umeclidinium, and 25 mcg of vilanterol per dose, written as 200/62.5/25 mcg
Each inhaler has 30 doses. Doses are also called inhalations (puffs).
Typical dosages
The following information describes dosages that are commonly prescribed or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs.
Dosage for COPD
Doctors may prescribe Trelegy Ellipta to improve breathing and reduce how often symptoms worsen in COPD. Typically, it’s prescribed with a rescue inhaler.
The recommended strength for people with COPD is 100/62.5/25 mcg. Your dose will usually be 1 puff, once per day.
For more information about your specific dosage, talk with your doctor.
Dosage for asthma
Trelegy Ellipta is also used to prevent symptoms and improve breathing in asthma. Doctors typically prescribe it with a rescue inhaler.
For asthma, your doctor may prescribe Trelegy Ellipta 100/62.5/25 mcg or 200/62.5/25 mcg. The recommended dose is 1 puff once per day. Your asthma’s severity and other factors will help the doctor select your dose.
If taking 1 puff per day of 100/62.5/25 mcg doesn’t help, they may prescribe 1 puff per day of the 200/62.5/25 mcg strength. This is the maximum recommended dose.
Talk with your doctor if you have questions about your dosage or asthma treatment plan.
Long-term treatment
Trelegy Ellipta is meant to be a long-term treatment for asthma or COPD. If you and your doctor determine that it’s safe and effective for you, you’ll likely use it long term.
Don’t stop taking Trelegy Ellipta unless your doctor specifically tells you to because your symptoms may worsen. Your doctor can guide you in safely stopping the medication if needed. Talk with your doctor if you have questions about how long you can expect to take it.
The Trelegy Ellipta dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on several factors. These include:
- how your body responds to Trelegy Ellipta
- the type and severity of the condition you’re using Trelegy Ellipta to treat
- previous treatments and doses you’ve used
- your risk of symptom flare-ups
- other medical conditions you may have
Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications you take and any health conditions you may have. This will help them prescribe the right dosage for your situation.
You should use the Trelegy Ellipta inhaler as your doctor instructs.
You’ll take 1 puff once per day, at the same time each day. Do not take more than one dose (one puff) in 24 hours. Trelegy Ellipta is not used to treat sudden symptoms of asthma and COPD. In this case, your doctor will advise you to use a rescue inhaler for fast relief.
Trelegy Ellipta delivers the active ingredients as a powder you inhale into your lungs through your mouth. You may or may not feel or taste the medication.
After inhaling a dose, rinse your mouth with water and spit it out (don’t swallow the water). Rinsing helps prevent oral thrush, a possible side effect of Trelegy Ellipta. (To learn more about side effects, see this article.)
Your inhaler is usable until the dose counter says “0” (about 6 weeks after opening). It may be helpful to write the “opened” and “discard” date on it. Don’t open the cover if you’re not ready for a dose.
Opening and closing it without inhaling a dose wastes the dose. When the inhaler’s not in use, store it at room temperature away from children. Put it in a dry place, out of sunlight and heat.
If you have questions about how to use Trelegy Ellipta, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You can also watch this video and read the step-by-step instructions on the manufacturer’s website.
ACCESSIBLE DRUG LABELSSome pharmacies offer labels with large print, braille, or a code you scan with a smartphone to convert text to speech. If your local pharmacy doesn’t have these options, your doctor or pharmacist might be able to recommend a pharmacy that does.
If you miss a dose of Trelegy Ellipta, take it as soon as you remember, but do not take more than one puff in one day. Do not take two doses to make up for a missed one. If you have questions or concerns about a missed dose, call your doctor or pharmacist.
To help make sure that you don’t miss a dose, try using a medication reminder. Medication reminders can include alarms or notes you leave for yourself. You could also download a reminder app on your phone.
It’s important that you do not use Trelegy Ellipta more often than your doctor prescribes. Doing so gives you higher doses of its active ingredients. Using more than the recommended amount may lead to harmful effects. It can even be fatal.
Effects of an overdose
Some effects of an overdose of Trelegy Ellipta can include:
- dry mouth or eyes
- headache
- flushing
- seizures
- anxiety
- high or low blood pressure
- heart problems, such as a fast heart rate and an irregular heart rhythm
- shakiness or tremor
- muscle cramps
- nausea
- dizziness
- chest pain
- cardiac arrest (the heart stops beating)
If you take more than the recommended amount of Trelegy Ellipta
Call your doctor right away if you believe you’ve used too much Trelegy Ellipta. If you use too much and have unusual symptoms, get medical help right away. You may need heart monitoring and medical care.
Another option is to call America’s Poison Centers at 800-222-1222 or use its online tool. If you have severe symptoms, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency room.
Below are some frequently asked questions about Trelegy Ellipta and dosage.
How long does it take for Trelegy Ellipta to start working?
Trelegy Ellipta begins working after you take your first dose. However, you may not feel the drug working in your body right away. This is because it’s not a rescue inhaler for short-term relief of symptoms. Trelegy Ellipta is a maintenance inhaler used daily to help prevent asthma and COPD symptoms over time.
Typically, doctors prescribe Trelegy Ellipta in combination with a rescue inhaler for fast relief of symptoms. For asthma and COPD, examples include albuterol (ProAir HFA, Proventil HFA, Ventolin HFA) and levalbuterol (Xopenex HFA). Albuterol/ipratropium (Combivent Respimat) may be used for COPD.
If you have questions about what to expect with your Trelegy Ellipta treatment, talk with your doctor.
How many doses are in a Trelegy Ellipta inhaler?
If you got your inhaler from a pharmacy, it likely has 30 doses. But if your inhaler was a sample or came from a healthcare facility, it may have only 14 doses. The dose counter on the inhaler can also tell you how many doses are left.
Before your first use, the counter should show “30” or “14.” It counts down once each time you open the cover. You can learn more about this in the “How to use Trelegy Ellipta” section above.
Talk with your doctor if you have any questions about Trelegy Ellipta or how to use it.
The dosages in this article are typical dosages provided by the drug’s manufacturer. If your doctor recommends Trelegy Ellipta for you, they’ll prescribe the dosage that’s right for you. Always follow the dosage that your doctor prescribes.
As with any drug, never change your dosage of Trelegy Ellipta or stop taking it without your doctor’s recommendation. If you have questions about the dosage of Trelegy Ellipta that’s best for you, talk with your doctor.
Besides learning about dosage, you may want other information about Trelegy Ellipta. These additional articles might be helpful:
- More about Trelegy Ellipta: For information about other aspects of Trelegy Ellipta, refer to this article.
- Side effects: To learn about side effects of Trelegy Ellipta, see this article. You can also look at the Trelegy Ellipta prescribing information.
- Cost: If you’d like to learn about Trelegy Ellipta and cost, see this article.
- Details about your condition: To learn about your condition, visit our asthma and allergy and COPD hubs.
Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.