Bronchodilator: Short-Acting Beta2-Agonist

What are other names for this medicine?

Some other names for this medicine are albuterol, levalbuterol, and pirbuterol. Some product names include: Proventil, Proventil HFA, Ventolin HFA, Xopenex, Maxair, and Maxair Autohaler.

Combivent is a metered-dose inhaler that contains both albuterol and ipratropium bromide.

See also Bronchodilators, short-acting anticholinergic

What does this drug do?

This drug is a quick-relief medicine that works fast to relax the muscles of the airways and decrease the amount of mucus produced. It can also prevent the tightening of the muscles around the airways (bronchospasm) caused by asthma triggers such as pollens, exercise, cold air, and air pollutants.

This medicine should be used to treat acute asthma attacks.

How is it taken?

This medicine can be inhaled as a fine mist from a nebulizer or from a metered-dose inhaler (MDI). Another option is the Maxair Autohaler that automatically sprays the medicine when your child inhales through the mouthpiece. There is also a dry powder device (Ventolin Rotacaps) that your child can use.

What is the usual dose?

Nebulizer: The most common nebulizer doses for albuterol are 1.25 mg, 2.5 mg, or 5 mg in a 3 ml unit dose vial or 0.25 to .5 ml of a 0.5% solution diluted with 2 ml of sterile saline (salt water). Levalbuterol (Xopenex) comes in premixed vials with the suggested dose of 0.63 or 0.125 mg in 3 ml of saline. 0.25 to 0.5 ml of the 0.5% solution of albuterol can be added to budesonide (Pulmicort) instead of saline for delivery of these medicines together in the nebulizer.

MDI: The most common dose for an MDI is 2 puffs, which should be repeated no more often than every 4 hours without approval from your child's health care provider. Call your health care provider if your child needs a dose more than every 4 hours. The MDI should always be used with a valved holding chamber so more medicine reaches the lungs.

Your prescribed dose of inhaled _____________________ is _______ ml mixed with ______________ and given by nebulizer ____ times a day (about every __________hours) for _______days.

OR

______ puffs of ____________________ inhaled from an MDI ____ times a day (about every ________hours) or as needed for asthma symptoms.

What side effects can this drug cause?

The most common side effects are jitteriness and an increased heart rate.

What special instructions should be followed?

Do not increase the number of treatments to greater than ________ within a 24-hour period without checking with your doctor. If it seems like your child needs more treatments because the asthma symptoms are not helped by the medicine, call your doctor.