Foster in Spain: Beclometasone Formoterol Inhaler Guide

Foster is a beclometasone formoterol inhaler, made in Spain by Chiesi. It mixes a steroid that calms the airways with a long-acting medicine that opens them. Doctors prescribe it for asthma and for severe COPD in adults aged 18 and over. In the UK the same inhaler is called Fostair. It is a daily preventer, not a quick fix.

Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera is a GP licensed in Spain (Colegiado No. 484814280).

For a medical emergency, call 112 or go to the nearest local emergency department. Do not wait for a video consultation or an online reply.

What is Foster used for?

Foster treats two long-term lung conditions in adults.

• Asthma. It is used when a steroid inhaler alone is not enough. It is also used when asthma is already well controlled on this kind of two-in-one inhaler.
• Severe COPD. Some Foster inhalers are also licensed to ease the symptoms of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Beclometasone is a steroid. Used every day, it lowers the swelling inside the airways. Formoterol relaxes the muscles around the airways for many hours. Together they help prevent symptoms. They work best when you use them every day, even when you feel well.

The leaflet says Foster is not for children or teenagers under 18.

Which Foster inhaler do you have?

Foster comes in two kinds of device, each in more than one strength. They are not all licensed for the same things.

• Foster spray inhaler (solución para inhalación en envase a presión). You press the canister as you breathe in slowly. Some people use a spacer with it.
• Foster NEXThaler (polvo para inhalación). It holds a dry powder. You open the cover and breathe in fast and deep through the mouth. A counter shows how many doses are left.

The stronger spray inhaler is licensed for asthma only. The doctor chooses the device and the strength. The doctor or the leaflet sets how much to use.

Is Foster the same as Fostair or Symbicort?

Foster and Fostair are the same medicine with different names. Symbicort is a similar kind of inhaler, but it holds different medicines.

Name	What it holds	Where
Foster, Foster NEXThaler	Beclometasone and formoterol	Spain (prescription)
Formodual, Bibecfo, Luforbec	Beclometasone and formoterol	Spain (prescription)
Fostair, Fostair NEXThaler	Beclometasone and formoterol	UK
Symbicort	Budesonide and formoterol: a different steroid	Spain, UK, US

We could not confirm a US version of beclometasone with formoterol. If you come from the US, bring the name of your current inhaler to the visit. Never swap one inhaler for another without a doctor's advice.

Can Foster be your reliever as well as your preventer?

Sometimes. Some doctors set up a plan where one Foster inhaler is both your daily preventer and your reliever. This is often called MART (maintenance and reliever therapy). The leaflets for some Foster inhalers allow it. The leaflet for the stronger spray does not.

So the answer depends on your device and your plan. If you are not sure, keep a separate reliever, such as salbutamol, with you. Our Ventolin guide explains how that blue reliever works. Do not use more Foster than your plan says. If you need your reliever more often than usual, tell your doctor.

Do you need a prescription for Foster in Spain?

Yes. Every Foster and Foster NEXThaler inhaler is listed as medicamento sujeto a prescripción médica on the AEMPS CIMA database. A pharmacy needs a valid prescription to give it to you. A doctor should also check that the inhaler still suits you. Our guide on which medicines need a prescription in Spain explains the rules.

How to get the most from your inhaler

• Use it every day, as your plan says, even when you feel well.
• Rinse your mouth with water, gargle or brush your teeth after each use. This lowers the risk of thrush.
• Ask a nurse, pharmacist or doctor to check how you use it. Poor technique is a common reason for poor control.
• Do not stop it or cut down on your own. Asthma can flare up when you stop.
• Tell the doctor if you take beta-blockers, including eye drops. They can block the effect of formoterol.

Who needs extra care with Foster?

The leaflet asks you to tell your doctor first if you have:

• Heart problems, such as angina, a recent heart attack, heart failure or an irregular heartbeat.
• High blood pressure, an overactive thyroid or low potassium.
• Diabetes, as your blood sugar may need checking.
• Tuberculosis or another lung infection.
• A planned operation under general anaesthetic.

If you are pregnant, could be pregnant or are breastfeeding, talk to your doctor first. Uncontrolled asthma is also a risk, so do not stop on your own.

What Foster does not do

• It is not a first inhaler for new asthma. Doctors usually start with other steps first.
• It does not treat a chest infection. A cough with fever may need a check.
• It does not replace emergency care. A severe attack needs 112, not extra puffs.

Our asthma page explains what a review covers.

Side effects and asthma attack warning signs

Common side effects are thrush in the mouth, a hoarse voice, a sore throat and headache. Some people notice shaking, a fast heartbeat or cramps. People with COPD have a higher risk of pneumonia, so report fever, chills or a change in your phlegm. Rarely, breathing gets worse straight after a puff. If that happens, stop Foster, use your reliever and get medical help.

Call 112 if you have an asthma attack and:

• You cannot speak in full sentences, eat or sleep because you are breathless.
• Your lips or fingertips turn blue or grey.
• Your reliever is not helping, or you need it again very soon.
• You feel drowsy, confused or faint.

Also call 112 if your face, lips or throat swell after using it.

Talking it through with a doctor by video

Dr. Yelamo is a GP licensed in Spain. He sees adults, children and pregnant patients by video, every day from 07:30 to 20:30 (Spain time). In the visit he will:

• Ask how often you have symptoms and use your reliever.
• Check your inhaler, your technique and your written plan.
• Look for warning signs that need an in-person exam or tests.
• Explain whether your current treatment still fits.

He does not promise any test or prescription before the visit. Where clinically appropriate, following a genuine evaluation. Treatment and prescriptions are issued solely at the doctor's discretion based on evidence-based clinical guidelines.

A prescription is never guaranteed: it is issued only where clinically appropriate after a genuine evaluation, as a private electronic prescription under Spanish law. This service is for urgent, non-emergency care. In an emergency, call 112.

See how the Urgent Care video visit works. It lasts 15 minutes and costs €50.

This guide is general information. It does not replace the package leaflet or the advice of your doctor or pharmacist.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• AEMPS CIMA: Foster spray inhaler package leaflet
• AEMPS CIMA: Foster NEXThaler package leaflet
• Electronic Medicines Compendium (UK): Fostair product information
• MedlinePlus: Asthma

Related guides

• Ventolin (salbutamol) in Spain
• Asthma inhaler prescriptions in Spain
• Asthma care online
• Which medicines need a prescription in Spain?
• Urgent Care video visit