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albuterol
generic
Adult Dosing .
Dosage forms: TAB: 2 mg, 4 mg; SOL: 2 mg per 5 mL
bronchospasm
- [2-8 mg PO tid-qid]
- Start: 2-4 mg PO tid-qid; Max: 32 mg/day; Info: not recommended per GINA guidelines
renal dosing
- [see below]
- renal impairment: no adjustment; Info: caution advised w/ high-dose use
- HD/PD: no adjustment; no supplement
hepatic dosing
- [not defined]
Peds Dosing .
- Dosage forms: TAB: 2 mg, 4 mg; SOL: 2 mg per 5 mL
bronchospasm
- [2-5 yo]
- Dose: 0.1-0.2 mg/kg/dose PO tid: Start: 0.1 mg/kg/dose PO tid; Max: 12 mg/day; Info: not recommended per GINA guidelines
- [6-12 yo]
- Dose: 2-6 mg PO tid-qid; Start: 2 mg PO tid-qid; Max: 24 mg/day; Info: not recommended per GINA guidelines
- [12 yo and older]
- Dose: 2-8 mg PO tid-qid; Start: 2-4 mg PO tid-qid; Max: 32 mg/day; Info: not recommended per GINA guidelines
renal dosing
- [not defined]
- renal impairment: consider adult renal dosing for guidance
- HD/PD: consider adult renal dosing for guidance
hepatic dosing
- [not defined]
Contraindications / Cautions .
- hypersensitivity to drug or ingredient
- caution: MAO inhibitor use w/in 14 days
- caution: TCA use w/in 14 days
- caution: electrolyte abnormalities
- caution: long QT syndrome, congenital
- caution: QT prolongation
- caution: QT prolongation family hx
- caution: torsades de pointes hx
- caution: arrhythmia
- caution: bradycardia
- caution: MI, recent
- caution: CHF
- caution: cardiovascular dz
- caution: pts unusually responsive to sympathomimetic amines
- caution: diabetes mellitus
- caution: ketoacidosis
- caution: seizure disorder
- caution: hyperthyroidism
- caution: labor and delivery
- caution: elderly pts
- caution: renal impairment (high-dose use)
Drug Interactions .
Overview
albuterol
beta-2 agonist
- hypertensive effects
- hypokalemia
- prolongs QT interval (conditional)
- tachycardia
Contraindicated
- pimozide
- thioridazine
Avoid/Use Alternative
- acebutolol
- albuterol inhaled
- amitriptyline
- amoxapine
- amphetamine
- arformoterol inhaled
- armodafinil
- arsenic trioxide
- artemether/lumefantrine
- atenolol
- atomoxetine
- bedaquiline
- benzphetamine
- betaxolol
- bisoprolol
- bupropion
- carvedilol
- cisapride
- clomipramine
- cocaine
- crizotinib
- desipramine
- desvenlafaxine
- dexmethylphenidate
- dextroamphetamine
- diethylpropion
- domperidone
- doxapram
- doxepin
- dronabinol
- dronedarone
- ephedra
- ephedrine oral
- epinephrine
- epinephrine inhaled
- esketamine
- esmolol
- fexinidazole
- formoterol inhaled
- furosemide
- hoodia
- hydroxychloroquine
- imipramine
- isocarboxazid
- labetalol
- lefamulin
- levalbuterol inhaled
- levomilnacipran
- linezolid
- lisdexamfetamine
- lonafarnib
- methamphetamine
- methylphenidate
- metoprolol
- midodrine
- milnacipran
- mobocertinib
- modafinil
- nadolol
- nebivolol
- nilotinib
- nortriptyline
- olodaterol inhaled
- ozanimod
- phendimetrazine
- phenelzine
- phentermine
- phenylephrine
- pindolol
- procarbazine
- propranolol
- protriptyline
- pseudoephedrine
- quizartinib
- rasagiline
- rotigotine transdermal
- safinamide
- salmeterol inhaled
- selegiline
- selegiline transdermal
- solriamfetol
- sotalol
- terbutaline
- timolol
- toremifene
- tranylcypromine
- trimipramine
- vandetanib
- venlafaxine
- vilanterol inhaled
- viloxazine
- yohimbe
- ziprasidone
Monitor/Modify Tx
- abiraterone acetate
- acetazolamide
- adagrasib
- aliskiren
- almotriptan
- aloe
- amiloride
- aminophylline
- amiodarone
- amlodipine
- amphotericin
- anagrelide
- angiotensin II
- apalutamide
- apomorphine
- asciminib
- asenapine
- asparaginase
- atropine
- atropine ophthalmic
- axitinib
- azilsartan medoxomil
- azithromycin
- benazepril
- benztropine
- betamethasone
- bevacizumab
- bismuth subsalicylate
- brigatinib
- budesonide
- bumetanide
- cabozantinib
- caffeine
- caffeine citrate
- candesartan cilexetil
- cannabis
- captopril
- carboplatin
- carfilzomib
- celecoxib
- ceritinib
- cetuximab
- chloroquine
- chlorothiazide
- chlorthalidone
- cisplatin
- citalopram
- clarithromycin
- clevidipine
- clofazimine
- clonidine
- copanlisib
- corticotropin
- cortisone
- cyclosporine
- danazol
- daprodustat
- darbepoetin alfa
- decitabine
- deflazacort
- degarelix
- desflurane
- desmopressin
- dexamethasone
- dexmedetomidine
- dexmedetomidine injection
- dichlorphenamide
- diclofenac
- diclofenac topical
- dicyclomine
- diflunisal
- digoxin
- dihydroergotamine
- diltiazem
- dinutuximab
- disopyramide
- dobutamine
- dofetilide
- donepezil
- dopamine
- doxazosin
- droperidol
- droxidopa
- eletriptan
- emapalumab
- enalapril
- enalaprilat
- encorafenib
- enzalutamide
- ephedrine injection
- epirubicin
- eplerenone
- epoetin alfa
- erenumab
- ergotamine
- eribulin
- erythromycin
- estetrol (contraceptive)
- estradiol (contraceptive)
- ethacrynic acid
- ethinyl estradiol (contraceptive)
- etodolac
- etrasimod
- felodipine
- fenfluramine
- fenoldopam
- fenoprofen
- fingolimod
- flecainide
- fludrocortisone
- fluorouracil
- flurbiprofen
- foscarnet
- fosinopril
- fostamatinib
- frovatriptan
- fruquintinib
- gilteritinib
- glasdegib
- glycopyrrolate
- goserelin
- guanfacine
- haloperidol
- histrelin
- hydralazine
- hydrochlorothiazide
- hydrocortisone
- hydroxyzine
- hyoscyamine
- ibrutinib
- ibuprofen
- ibutilide
- indapamide
- indomethacin
- inotuzumab ozogamicin
- insulin
- iobenguane I 131
- irbesartan
- isoflurane
- isoproterenol
- isradipine
- ivosidenib
- ketamine
- ketoprofen
- ketorolac
- lanreotide
- leflunomide
- lenalidomide
- lenvatinib
- leuprolide
- levofloxacin
- levoketoconazole
- levonordefrin
- levothyroxine
- licorice
- lifileucel
- liothyronine
- lisinopril
- lofexidine
- lorlatinib
- losartan
- lumacaftor/ivacaftor
- luspatercept
- macimorelin
- magnesium citrate
- magnesium salicylate
- mannitol
- meclofenamate
- mefenamic acid
- meloxicam
- methacholine inhaled
- methadone
- methazolamide
- methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta
- methscopolamine
- methyldopa
- methylergonovine
- methylprednisolone
- metoclopramide
- metolazone
- mifepristone
- minoxidil
- mirabegron
- moexipril
- motixafortide
- moxifloxacin
- nabumetone
- naproxen
- naratriptan
- naxitamab
- necitumumab
- nicardipine
- nifedipine
- nimodipine
- niraparib
- nisoldipine
- norepinephrine
- oliceridine
- olmesartan medoxomil
- ondansetron
- orphenadrine
- osilodrostat
- osimertinib
- oxaprozin
- oxymetazoline nasal
- oxytocin
- pacritinib
- paliperidone
- palonosetron
- panobinostat
- pasireotide
- pazopanib
- pentamidine
- perindopril
- pexidartinib
- phenoxybenzamine
- phentolamine
- phenylephrine injection
- phenylephrine nasal
- phenylephrine ophthalmic
- phenylephrine rectal
- piroxicam
- polyethylene glycol
- polyethylene glycol/electrolytes
- ponatinib
- ponesimod
- posaconazole
- pralsetinib
- prazosin
- prednisolone
- prednisone
- procainamide
- propafenone
- quetiapine
- quinapril
- quinidine (antiarrhythmic)
- quinidine (CYP2D6 inhibitor)
- quinine
- ramipril
- ramucirumab
- regorafenib
- ribociclib
- ripretinib
- rizatriptan
- romidepsin
- ropinirole
- rucaparib
- sacituzumab govitecan
- salsalate
- saquinavir
- selinexor
- selpercatinib
- sevoflurane
- siponimod
- sirolimus albumin-bound
- sodium benzoate
- sodium phenylacetate
- sodium phenylbutyrate
- sodium phosphate (bowel prep)
- sodium polystyrene sulfonate
- sodium thiosulfate
- sorafenib
- spironolactone
- sulfate bowel prep
- sulindac
- sumatriptan
- sunitinib
- tacrolimus
- tafasitamab
- tagraxofusp
- telavancin
- telmisartan
- terazosin
- teriflunomide
- testosterone
- tetrabenazine
- theophylline
- thyroid
- tivozanib
- tolmetin
- topiramate
- torsemide
- tramadol
- trametinib
- trandolapril
- trastuzumab
- triamcinolone
- triamterene
- triclabendazole
- trifluridine
- triptorelin
- valsartan
- vamorolone
- vasopressin
- vemurafenib
- verapamil
- voclosporin
- ziv-aflibercept
- zolmitriptan
- zonisamide
Adverse Reactions .
Serious Reactions
- bronchospasm, paradoxical
- hypersensitivity rxn
- anaphylaxis
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- erythema multiforme
- angioedema
- HTN
- angina
- arrhythmia
- hypokalemia
- hyperglycemia
Common Reactions
- nervousness
- tremor
- headache
- tachycardia
- palpitations
- muscle cramps
- nausea
- dizziness
- insomnia
- weakness
Safety/Monitoring .
Monitoring Parameters
no routine tests recommended
Look/Sound-Alike Drug Names
albuterol confused with: acebutolol; atenolol; Atrovent; labetalol; pirbuterol
Pregnancy/Lactation .
Pregnancy
Clinical Summary
weigh risk/benefit during pregnancy, esp. during labor and delivery; risk of fetal harm low based on human data; risk of interference w/ uterine contractility based on drug's mechanism of action
Lactation
Clinical Summary
weigh risk/benefit while breastfeeding; no human data available to assess risk of infant harm, though possible risk of infant tremors and agitation based on drug properties; no human data available to assess effects on milk production
Pharmacology .
Metabolism: GI tract; CYP450: unknown
Excretion: urine 80-100%, feces <20%; Half-life: 2.7-6h
Subclass: Beta-2 Agonists, Oral
Mechanism of Action
selectively stimulates beta-2 adrenergic receptors, relaxing airway smooth muscle
Formulary .
No Formulary Selected
Manufacturer/Pricing .
Manufacturer: generic
DEA/FDA: Rx
Approximate Retail Price
from http://www.goodrx.com/albuterol
oral syrup:
- 2 mg/5 mL (120 mL): $9.00
oral tablet:
- 2 mg (90 ea): $91.00
- 4 mg (60 ea): $55.00
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