albuterol vs theophylline
Side-by-side comparison of albuterol and theophylline. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
major Known Drug Interaction
albuterol, systemic and inhaled mebendazole amoxicillin medroxyprogesterone ampicillin, with or without sulbactam methylprednisolone atenolol metronidazole azithromycin metoprolol caffeine, dietary ingestion nadolol cefaclor nifedipine co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole) nizatidine diltiazem norfloxacin dirithromycin ofloxacin enflurane omeprazole famotidine prednisone, prednisolone felodipine ranitidine finasteride rifabutin hydrocortisone roxithromycin isoflurane Sorbitol (purgative doses do not inhibit theophylline absorption) isoniazid sucralfate isradipine terbutaline,...
Recommendation: Your doctor should monitor you for side effects like a fast heartbeat or tremors. They may need to adjust your doses to ensure the combination is safe for you.
Ventolin, ProAir, Proventil
Theo-24, Elixophyllin
Albuterol is a drug that helps you breathe easier. It opens up your airways when they get too narrow.
Theophylline is a medicine that helps you breathe easier. It treats the symptoms of asthma and other lung problems.
This medicine treats or prevents bronchospasm in adults and kids 4 years and older who have reversible obstructive airway disease. This means it helps when your airways narrow, making it hard to breathe. It can also prevent bronchospasm caused by exercise in adults and kids 4 years and older.
Theophylline treats the symptoms of long-term asthma and other lung diseases. These include emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which make it hard to breathe. This medicine helps to open up your airways so you can breathe easier.
Albuterol is a beta-2 agonist. It works by relaxing the muscles in your airways. This allows more air to flow in and out of your lungs.
Theophylline is a bronchodilator. It works by relaxing the muscles in your airways. This allows more air to flow in and out of your lungs.
- • Throat irritation
- • Viral respiratory infections
- • Upper respiratory inflammation
- • Cough
- • Muscle or bone pain
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Headache
- • Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- Difficulty breathing 15,966
- Asthma 9,278
- Cough 7,340
- Pneumonia 6,990
- Nausea 6,757
- Difficulty breathing 2,273
- Asthma 1,942
- Pneumonia 1,317
- Wheezing 1,306
- Vomiting 1,101
In rare cases, this medicine can make your bronchospasm worse. If this happens, stop using it right away and get medical help. Using too much albuterol can be fatal. If you need more albuterol than usual, your asthma may be getting worse.
If your theophylline levels get too high in your blood, it can cause serious side effects. These include severe vomiting, irregular heartbeats, and seizures. These can be life-threatening.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if albuterol will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of using albuterol while pregnant or breastfeeding.
It is not known if theophylline can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if theophylline passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
How to Read This albuterol vs theophylline Comparison
albuterol is classified in the Short-Acting Beta-2 Agonist drug class, while theophylline sits within the Methylxanthine Bronchodilator class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, albuterol has 46,331 submissions while theophylline has 7,939. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known major interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to both of these medicines are used to open the airways, and taking them together can cause a racing heart, shakiness, or other stimulant-like side effects.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between albuterol and theophylline - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.