Why is there a boxed warning on Brovana?

There is a boxed warning on Brovana (arformoterol) to alert people who take the drug that it should not be used to treat asthma. Brovana belongs to a class of drugs called long-acting beta-agonists, or LABAs. A study of another LABA, salmeterol, showed that these drugs may raise the risk of asthma-related death in people who take them to treat asthma. Brovana is approved only to treat symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adults. COPD is a group of lung diseases that includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Brovana is a maintenance medication that can help people with COPD manage their symptoms over an extended period of time. It is not meant to be taken for relief from an asthma attack or other breathing emergency.