FAQ

Frequently asked questions

STIOLTO RESPIMAT (tiotropium bromide and olodaterol) is a once-daily, long-acting maintenance treatment that helps adults breathe better and control COPD symptoms—all day, and all night. It is a combination of 2 types of medicines. It contains tiotroprium, an anticholinergic, or long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), and olodaterol, a long-acting beta₂-agonist (LABA). LAMA and LABA medicines help the muscles around the airways in your lungs stay relaxed to prevent COPD symptoms, such as wheezing, cough, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.

STIOLTO is not for the sudden symptoms of COPD. You should always have a rescue medicine with you. It is not for people with asthma, and should not be used by children or anyone who is allergic to any of the ingredients in STIOLTO.

STIOLTO has been clinically proven to significantly increase lung function.

For more about STIOLTO, please see What is STIOLTO?

While rescue inhalers go to work right away, and you can feel their effect within minutes, maintenance treatment can control your COPD symptoms long term. Maintenance treatments, like STIOLTO RESPIMAT, are long-acting medicines you take once daily to manage your COPD symptoms.

Using the STIOLTO RESPIMAT inhaler for daily dosing

After preparing and priming the inhaler, patients can remember the steps for daily use with "T.O.P.":

These steps must be performed 2 times to receive the proper dose of medication.

If your doctor has prescribed oxygen for your COPD, you should still take it as prescribed after starting STIOLTO unless your doctor tells you otherwise.

COPD is a chronic, progressive lung condition that makes it harder to breathe. COPD includes 2 major components. One is chronic bronchitis, which is inflammation of the airways. The other is emphysema, which is damage to your air sacs (alveoli). You may have one or the other or both. These make it difficult to get air out of your lungs and new air back in. While there is no cure for COPD, with lifestyle changes and medication, you may be able to breathe better and manage your symptoms.

Some symptoms of COPD include:

• Shortness of breath
• Cough

• Chest tightness
• Wheezing

For more symptoms, please see COPD Symptoms and Progression.

The only proven way to slow COPD is to quit smoking. Quitting smoking is the only thing you can do to slow the progression of COPD, but STIOLTO RESPIMAT can still help you breathe better. Once-daily STIOLTO has been shown to help heavy smokers (those who smoked a pack a day for 10 years) breathe better. Ask your doctor if STIOLTO is right for you.

Many things can cause COPD symptoms to suddenly worsen. Triggers include:

• Cigarette smoke and smoking
• Extreme hot or cold weather
• Air pollution

If you have COPD, it’s important to be familiar with common triggers so you can avoid exposure to them.

Yes! Ask your doctor about ways to help you breathe more efficiently during the day. He or she can also recommend you relaxation techniques to use when you’re short of breath.

In many cases, yes. In fact, exercise can have many benefits for a COPD sufferer. Some low-impact exercise, such as walking, stretching, and gentle strengthening exercises can help decrease shortness of breath and improve your overall level of energy. Talk to your doctor before starting any new activities. Even with COPD, it may be possible and helpful to find an exercise program that works for you.

There’s a lot you can do to keep COPD under control. For instance:

• Avoid triggers, such as dust or smoke, that can irritate your lungs
• Get vaccinated against the flu and pneumonia
• Avoid germs during cold and flu season
• Get your family on board with encouragement and support
• Take all medicines as directed by your doctor

Want to know more about managing COPD? Sign up now to receive FREE tips and tools for keeping COPD in check.

You may be eligible to pay as little as $0 copay for one year through the STIOLTO RESPIMAT Savings Card program. In addition, the BI Cares Foundation may be able to help those who are covered by federal or state prescription programs or who have no prescription coverage and need financial assistance.

Learn more about these programs with a Savings Card.