fluticasone vs fluticasone/vilanterol

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

minor Known Drug Interaction

( 7.4 ) 7.1 Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 3A4 Fluticasone furoate and vilanterol are both substrates of CYP3A4. Concomitant administration of the strong CYP3A4 inhibitor ketoconazole increases the systemic exposure to fluticasone furoate and vilanterol.

Drug Class
fluticasone Corticosteroid
fluticasone/vilanterol Corticosteroid / Long-Acting Beta-2 Agonist Combination
Type
fluticasone Over-the-Counter
fluticasone/vilanterol Prescription
Summary
fluticasone

Fluticasone is a steroid medicine that helps reduce inflammation in your nose. It can help relieve allergy symptoms.

fluticasone/vilanterol

Breo Ellipta is a medicine that contains a corticosteroid and a long-acting beta-agonist. It is used to help control symptoms of COPD and asthma.

What It Treats
fluticasone

Fluticasone temporarily relieves symptoms of hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies. These symptoms include a stuffy nose, itchy and watery eyes, itchy nose, runny nose, and sneezing. It can help you breathe easier and feel more comfortable when you have allergies.

fluticasone/vilanterol

Breo Ellipta is used to treat COPD in adults. It is also used to treat asthma in people ages 5 and older. This medicine helps to improve your breathing by reducing inflammation and opening airways.

How It Works
fluticasone

Fluticasone is a corticosteroid. It works by reducing inflammation in the nasal passages. This helps to relieve allergy symptoms.

fluticasone/vilanterol

Breo Ellipta contains two medicines. Fluticasone furoate reduces inflammation in the lungs. Vilanterol helps to relax the muscles around your airways, making it easier to breathe.

Common Side Effects
fluticasone
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
fluticasone/vilanterol
  • Sore throat
  • Upper respiratory infection
  • Headache
  • Mouth infection (oral candidiasis)
  • Back pain
FAERS Reports
fluticasone
  • Headache 6,061
  • Tiredness 5,935
  • Difficulty breathing 5,830
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 5,209
  • Pain 4,528
fluticasone/vilanterol

No adverse event reports.

Serious Warnings
fluticasone

Children 4 to 11 years of age: The growth rate of some children may be slower while using this product. Children should use it for the shortest time needed to relieve symptoms. Talk to your child’s doctor if they need to use the spray for longer than two months a year.

fluticasone/vilanterol

LABA medicines such as vilanterol, when used alone, increase the risk of asthma-related death. Breo Ellipta should not be used to treat sudden breathing problems. Do not use Breo Ellipta with other medicines that contain a LABA.

Pregnancy
fluticasone

It is not known if fluticasone will harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if fluticasone passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

fluticasone/vilanterol

Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Breo Ellipta will harm your unborn baby. Breo Ellipta should be used during late pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This fluticasone vs fluticasone/vilanterol Comparison

fluticasone is classified in the Corticosteroid drug class, while fluticasone/vilanterol sits within the Corticosteroid / Long-Acting Beta-2 Agonist Combination class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, fluticasone has 27,563 submissions while fluticasone/vilanterol has 0. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to these two medications contain the same active steroid. using them at the same time can cause the drug levels to build up too high in your system.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for fluticasone or fluticasone/vilanterol.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.