fluticasone
Brand names: Flonase, Flovent
Fluticasone is a steroid medicine that helps reduce inflammation in your nose. It can help relieve allergy symptoms.
Drug Shortage Alert
fluticasone is currently listed as to be discontinued by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc..
View all drug shortages →Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$3.27/unit
Generic Price
$0.37/unit
Generic Savings
89%
Generic Available
Yes (21 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Fluticasone temporarily relieves symptoms of hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies.
Common side effects
Headache, Fatigue
Key warnings
Children 4 to 11 years of age: The growth rate of some children may be slower while using this product.
How It Works
Fluticasone is a corticosteroid. It works by reducing inflammation in the nasal passages. This helps to relieve allergy symptoms.
How to Take It
Read the Quick Start Guide to learn how to prime the bottle, use the spray, and clean the nozzle. Shake the bottle gently before each use. Only use this product once a day, and do not use more than directed.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
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.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
Storage
Store this medicine at room temperature, away from moisture and heat.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 51,644 FDA adverse event reports.
Serious Warnings
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.
Known Drug Interactions
betamethasone budesonide ciclesonide fluticasone methylprednisolone mometasone triamcinolone ↑ corticosteroids Co-administration with corticosteroids (all routes of administration) of which exposures are significantly increased by strong CYP3A inhibitors can increase the risk for Cushing's syndrome and adrenal suppression.
Mechanism: Darunavir blocks the body from breaking down fluticasone, which can lead to very high steroid levels in your blood. This can cause serious hormone problems like Cushing's syndrome.
What to do: Avoid using these drugs together if possible. If you must use them, your doctor will need to watch you closely for signs of steroid overdose or hormone issues.
Corticosteroids primarily metabolized by CYP3A betamethasone, budesonide, ciclesonide, dexamethasone, fluticasone, methylprednisolone, mometasone, triamcinolone ↑ corticosteroid Co-administration with corticosteroids (all routes of administration) of which exposures are significantly increased by strong CYP3A inhibitors can increase the risk for Cushing’s syndrome and adrenal suppression.
Mechanism: This medication prevents your body from clearing the steroid fluticasone. This can lead to very high steroid levels, which may cause serious issues with your body's natural hormone production.
What to do: Avoid using these two drugs together. If they are used at the same time, your doctor must monitor you for signs of steroid overdose or hormone problems.
( 7.4 ) 7.1 Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 3A4 Fluticasone propionate and salmeterol, the individual components of ADVAIR DISKUS, are substrates of CYP3A4. Ritonavir Fluticasone Propionate: A drug interaction trial with fluticasone propionate aqueous nasal spray in healthy subjects has shown that ritonavir (a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor) can significantly increase plasma fluticasone propionate exposure, resulting in significantly reduced serum cortisol concentrations [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] . During postmarketing use, there have been reports of clinically significant drug interactio...
Mechanism: Both of these products contain the same steroid medicine. Taking them together increases the amount of medicine in your body, which can lower your natural hormone levels.
What to do: Your doctor should check your total dose to ensure you are not taking too much steroid medication.
( 7.5 ) 7.1 Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 3A4 Fluticasone furoate and vilanterol are substrates of CYP3A4. Concomitant administration of the strong CYP3A4 inhibitor ketoconazole increases the systemic exposure to fluticasone furoate and vilanterol.
Mechanism: Both of these medications contain the same steroid ingredient. Taking them together increases the total amount of medicine in your body, which can lead to more side effects.
What to do: Your doctor should review your medications to ensure you are not taking duplicate ingredients. Monitor for signs of excessive steroid exposure.
( 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.
Mechanism: 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.
What to do: Avoid using these together unless specifically directed by your healthcare provider. Your doctor may need to adjust your treatment plan to prevent duplication.
Common Questions
How often should I use this?
Can children use this medicine?
How many sprays should I use?
What should I do if my child needs to use this for a long time?
Do I need to do anything special before using the spray?
What if this medicine doesn't seem to be working?
Can I use more than the recommended dose to get better faster?
Where should I keep this medicine?
What if I miss a dose?
Is this safe to use during pregnancy?
What are the common side effects of fluticasone?
Does fluticasone interact with other medications?
What drug class is fluticasone?
Is there a generic version of fluticasone?
Is fluticasone safe during pregnancy?
Has fluticasone been recalled?
Is fluticasone currently in shortage?
Active Recalls
CGMP Deviations:Suspected potential presence of Burkholderia cepacia complex
Golden State Medical Supply Inc.
Related Medications in Corticosteroid
Other drugs grouped near fluticasone — same-class peers and common alternatives.
azelastine
Astelin, Astepro
Azelastine nasal spray is an antihistamine medicine.
Compare with fluticasone →
budesonide nasal
Rhinocort
Rhinocort is a nasal spray that helps relieve allergy symptoms.
Compare with fluticasone →
cetirizine
Zyrtec
Cetirizine (Zyrtec) is an antihistamine medicine.
Compare with fluticasone →
chlorpheniramine
Chlor-Trimeton
Chlorpheniramine is an antihistamine medicine.
Compare with fluticasone →
ciclesonide nasal
Omnaris, Zetonna
Omnaris Nasal Spray is a medicine that helps treat allergy symptoms in your nose.
Compare with fluticasone →
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
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Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
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Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for fluticasone
The FDA label for fluticasone (sold under brand names such as Flonase, Flovent) classifies it as an over-the-counter product in the Corticosteroid class. Fluticasone temporarily relieves symptoms of hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies. Official labeling lists 2 commonly reported side effects, including Headache, Fatigue.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 51,644 voluntary reports. The database also lists 7 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.37 versus $3.27 for the brand — a 89% generic savings.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history (currently 1 recall record on file), and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC). Shortage status: FDA Drug Shortages Database.
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: February 4, 2026
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages