Bronchodilator: Short-Acting Beta2-Agonist

What does this drug do?

Short-acting beta 2-agonists are also called "quick relief," or "rescue" medicines. They work fast to relax the muscles of the airways and decrease the amount of mucus produced. They also prevent tightening of the muscles around the airways (bronchospasm) caused by pollens, exercise, cold air, and air pollutants.

This medicine is used to treat acute asthma attacks.

What are other names for this medicine?

Some other names for this medicine are albuterol (Proventil, Proventil HFA, Ventolin HFA), levalbuterol (Xopenex, Xopenex HFA), and pirbuterol (Maxair, Maxair Autohaler).

Combivent and DuoNeb contain both a short-acting beta 2-agonist (albuterol) and an anticholinergic (ipratropium bromide).

How is it taken?

This medicine can be inhaled using:

• a nebulizer that produces a fine mist
• a metered-dose inhaler (MDI)
• Maxair Autohaler that automatically sprays the medicine when your child inhales through the mouthpiece
• a dry powder device (Ventolin Rotacaps).

What is the usual dose?

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

MDI: The most common dose for an MDI is 2 puffs. This should be given no more often than every 4 hours without approval from your child's health care provider. Call your provider if your child needs a dose more than every 4 hours. Always use the MDI 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 shakiness 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 health care provider. If it seems like your child needs more treatments because the asthma symptoms are not helped by the medicine, call your health care provider.

Do not use Xopenex unless the solution is colorless. Store unused vials in the protective foil pouch provided.