My Relvar Ellipta medicine

This page is specifically for patients who have been prescribed Relvar Ellipta. If you are not a patient please return to the public website.

What is inside Relvar Ellipta?

Relvar Ellipta contains two active ingredients:

1. Fluticasone furoate, which is an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)

2. Vilanterol, which is long-acting bronchodilator (LABA).

The combination of the two is known as an ICS/LABA.

How Relvar Ellipta works

The ICS in Relvar Ellipta helps to reduce the inflammation (irritation and swelling) in your lungs, so gradually ease breathing problems and also prevent attacks of asthma and aggravation of COPD.

The LABA relaxes the muscles of small air passages in the lungs, helping to keep your airways open so that air can move in and out more freely. When taken regularly, it helps the small air passages remain open.

When you take these two active substances together regularly, they will help to control your breathing difficulties more than either medicine alone. Relvar Ellipta is what we call a preventative treatment for asthma and COPD, so it is used to help prevent breathlessness and wheeziness coming on.

How do I take Relvar Ellipta?

Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you to. Check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you are not sure.

Relvar Ellipta’s active ingredients have an effect for 24 hours, so for Relvar Ellipta to work properly, you need to take it once a day, at the same time everyday.

Find out how to use your Ellipta inhaler.

Do I still need to use my reliever inhaler?

Yes. Relvar Ellipta should not be used to relieve a sudden attack of breathlessness or wheezing. If you get this sort of attack you must use a quick-acting reliever inhaler.

Relvar Ellipta does not work immediately – it takes about 15 minutes so you will not feel an instant effect. Your quick-acting reliever inhaler is different to Relvar Ellipta because it is a short-acting bronchodilator, intended to work rapidly to open the airways during an attack or worsening of symptoms. Relvar Ellipta helps prevent you from becoming breathless or wheezy.

If your symptoms (breathlessness, wheezing, cough) do not improve or get worse, or if you are using your quick-acting reliever inhaler more often than usual contact your doctor as soon as possible.