Roflumilast

1 medicine

Roflumilast is a PDE4 inhibitor used to reduce flare-ups in severe COPD with chronic bronchitis. It can cause mood changes, including suicidal thinking, and noticeable weight loss, so mental health and weight need monitoring during treatment.

Daliresp

Roflumilast

500mg

Daliresp is a asthma respiratory medication containing Roflumilast, available as 500mg tablets.

from $1.04 / tablet View

Key facts

  • Roflumilast is a PDE4 inhibitor taken as a once-daily tablet to reduce inflammation in the airways of people with severe COPD.
  • It is an add-on treatment to reduce flare-ups (exacerbations) in people with chronic bronchitis and a history of frequent flare-ups; it is not a rescue inhaler and does not relieve sudden breathlessness.
  • Roflumilast can cause psychiatric effects, including anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts, and significant unintentional weight loss.
  • Seek urgent care for new or worsening thoughts of self-harm, or unexplained weight loss.

What Roflumilast treats

Roflumilast treats severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) associated with chronic bronchitis, in adults with a history of frequent exacerbations. It is used alongside inhaled treatments, not in place of them, and does not treat asthma or an acute breathing attack.

How Roflumilast works

Roflumilast blocks phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4), an enzyme inside inflammatory cells that promotes the release of inflammatory chemicals in the lungs. By inhibiting PDE4, it reduces this inflammatory activity over time, lowering the frequency of COPD flare-ups, though it does not act quickly enough to treat a flare-up already underway.

Before you take it

  • Tell your prescriber about any history of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts, since roflumilast can worsen mood or trigger new psychiatric symptoms.
  • Avoid roflumilast if you have moderate to severe liver impairment.
  • Tell your prescriber about your current weight, since roflumilast commonly causes weight loss that can become significant.
  • Strong CYP3A4 or CYP1A2 inhibitors and enzyme-inducing drugs can change roflumilast levels; mention all your medicines before starting.

Side effects

Common effects include diarrhoea, nausea, headache, reduced appetite, and difficulty sleeping.

Seek urgent care for:

  • New or worsening depression, anxiety, agitation, or any thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
  • Significant, unintended weight loss.
  • Severe or persistent diarrhoea and stomach pain.

Safety essentials

  • Roflumilast carries a recognized risk of psychiatric side effects, including suicidal thinking; report any new mood changes to a doctor right away, and it should be avoided in people with a history of depression or suicidal behavior.
  • Weight should be checked regularly during treatment, since notable weight loss is common and may require stopping the medicine.
  • Because it does not act quickly, keep using your regular inhalers and rescue medicine as prescribed; roflumilast will not stop a flare-up already in progress.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.