Salbutamol Medication Information

Salbutamol is a generic prescription inhalant or injectable medication available in Canada and the United Kingdom. Doctors prescribe salbutamol for the treatment of symptoms caused by asthma or chronic obstructive respiratory disease.

Function

• Salbutamol works by opening up the bronchial tubes, which carry air through your lungs. This counteracts the constriction or narrowing of the bronchial tubes caused by asthma, allowing you to breathe.

Types

• Salbutamol is available for use in an aerosol inhaler, in a nebulizer for people with chronic lung disease or toddlers and infants who are unable to use an inhaler or as an injection for use by medical professionals in a hospital setting during a severe asthma attack, according to Netdoctor.co.uk.

Drug Interactions

• Beta-blockers such as atenolol cause airway constriction and are not recommended for use with salbutamol. Because salbutamol has the potential to cause hypokalemia, or low blood potassium levels, it should not be taken with other drugs that have a similar effect, such as the lung disease drug theophylline, corticosteroids and diuretics such as furosemide.

Risks

• Possible side effects of salbutamol include shaking, nervousness, headaches, rapid heartbeat or palpitations and muscle cramps, reports the Lung Association of Saskatchewan. More serious risks associated with salbutamol include sudden constriction of the airways and hypokalemia, which can cause paralysis or kidney damage over time, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Considerations

• Doctors typically prescribe salbutamol via inhaler for pregnant women as this method of delivery allows less of the drug to cross the placenta, explains Netdoctor.co.uk. If you have a history of convulsions, type 2 diabetes, prostate enlargements, gastrointestinal narrowing, hypertension, hyperthryoidism, Parkinson's disease, decreased bloodflow to your heart or arrhythmia, it may not be safe for you to take salbutamol, warns the Mayo Clinic.