PlainMeds provides educational information only. This is not medical advice. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist.

aclidinium vs umeclidinium

Side-by-side comparison of aclidinium and umeclidinium Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

Drug Class
aclidinium Long-Acting Muscarinic Antagonist (LAMA)
umeclidinium Long-Acting Muscarinic Antagonist (LAMA)
Type
aclidinium Prescription
umeclidinium Prescription
Summary
aclidinium

Duaklir Pressair is a combination medicine used to help people with COPD breathe better. It contains two medicines that open up the airways in your lungs.

umeclidinium

Incruse Ellipta is a medicine that helps people with COPD breathe easier. It contains umeclidinium, which is a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA).

What It Treats
aclidinium

Duaklir Pressair is used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. This medicine helps to open the airways and make it easier to breathe for people with COPD.

umeclidinium

Incruse Ellipta is used to help people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) breathe better. COPD is a long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. This medicine is not for sudden breathing problems or asthma.

How It Works
aclidinium

Duaklir Pressair contains two medicines that work in different ways. One medicine relaxes the muscles around your airways, opening them up. The other medicine prevents the muscles from tightening.

umeclidinium

Incruse Ellipta works by relaxing the muscles around your airways. This helps to open up your airways so that air can flow into your lungs more easily. It makes it easier to breathe.

Common Side Effects
aclidinium
  • Upper respiratory infection
  • Headache
  • Back pain
umeclidinium
  • Sore throat
  • Sinus infection
  • Lower respiratory tract infection
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
FAERS Reports
aclidinium
  • Difficulty breathing 1,869
  • Inhaler not working correctly 1,281
  • Skipped a dose of medicine 1,017
  • Asthma 814
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 764
umeclidinium
  • Difficulty breathing 1,352
  • Medicine not working 752
  • Cough 701
  • Asthma 604
  • Using the inhaler incorrectly 520
Serious Warnings
aclidinium

LABAs, such as formoterol fumarate, one of the active ingredients in DUAKLIR PRESSAIR, increase the risk of asthma-related death. Duaklir Pressair is not for asthma. Do not use Duaklir Pressair if you are allergic to milk proteins or any of the ingredients in it. Tell your doctor if you have heart problems, glaucoma, trouble urinating, diabetes, or seizures.

umeclidinium

Incruse Ellipta is not for treating asthma. Do not use Incruse Ellipta if you are allergic to milk proteins or any of the ingredients in the inhaler. Talk to your doctor right away if you have new or worsening eye problems or problems passing urine.

Pregnancy
aclidinium

It is not known if Duaklir Pressair will harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if this medicine passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you are taking Duaklir Pressair.

umeclidinium

Not enough information is available to know if Incruse Ellipta is safe to use during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Also Compare — Nearby Drugs

How to Read This aclidinium vs umeclidinium Comparison

aclidinium is classified in the Long-Acting Muscarinic Antagonist (LAMA) drug class, while umeclidinium sits within the Long-Acting Muscarinic Antagonist (LAMA) class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, aclidinium has 5,745 submissions while umeclidinium has 3,929. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between aclidinium and umeclidinium — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.