Albuterol Sulfate

Albuterol sulfate inhalation solution is indicated for the relief of bronchospasm in patients 2 years of age and older with reversible obstructive airway disease and acute attacks of bronchospasm.

Albuterol sulfate inhalation solution is contraindicated in patients with a history of hypersensitivity to any of its components.

As with other inhaled beta-adrenergic agonists, albuterol sulfate inhalation solution can produce paradoxical bronchospasm, which can be life threatening. If it occurs, the preparation should be discontinued immediately and alternative therapy instituted. Fatalities have been reported in association with excessive use of inhaled sympathomimetic drugs and with the home use of nebulizers. It is, therefore, essential that the physician instruct the patient in the need for further evaluation, if his/her asthma becomes worse.

In individual patients, any beta 2 -adrenergic agonist, including albuterol solution for inhalation, may have a clinically significant cardiac effect. Immediate hypersensitivity reactions may occur after administration of albuterol as demonstrated by rare cases of urticaria, angioedema, rash, bronchospasm, and oropharyngeal edema.

Drug Interactions Other sympathomimetic aerosol bronchodilators or epinephrine should not be used concomitantly with albuterol. Albuterol should be administered with extreme caution to patients being treated with monoamine oxidase inhibitors or tricyclic antidepressants, since the action of albuterol on the vascular system may be potentiated. Beta-receptor blocking agents and albuterol inhibit the effect of each other.

Pregnancy Teratogenic Effects Pregnancy Category C Albuterol has been shown to be teratogenic in mice when given subcutaneously in doses corresponding to 1.25 times the human nebulization dose (based on a 50 kg human). There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Albuterol should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. A reproduction study in CD-1 mice with albuterol (0.025, 0.25, and 2.5 mg/kg subcutaneously, corresponding to 0.125, 1.25, and 12.5 times the maximum human nebulization dose, respectively) showed cleft palate formation in 5 of 111 (4.5%) fetuses at 0.25 mg/kg and in 10 of 108 (9.3%) fetuses at 2.5 mg/kg.