albuterol
Brand names: Ventolin, ProAir, Proventil
Albuterol is a drug that helps you breathe easier. It opens up your airways when they get too narrow.
Drug Shortage Alert
albuterol is currently listed as in shortage by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Ritedose Pharmaceuticals, LLC. Status: Available.
View all drug shortages →Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.45/unit
Generic Available
Yes (25 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
This medicine treats or prevents bronchospasm in adults and kids 4 years and older who have reversible obstructive airway disease.
Common side effects
Throat irritation, Viral respiratory infections, Upper respiratory inflammation
Key warnings
In rare cases, this medicine can make your bronchospasm worse.
How It Works
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.
How to Take It
Only use this medicine with an oral inhaler. For bronchospasms, take 2 puffs every 4 to 6 hours. Some people may only need 1 puff every 4 hours. To prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm, take 2 puffs 15 to 30 minutes before you exercise.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
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.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time.
Storage
Store at room temperature, away from heat and direct sunlight. Keep the inhaler with the mouthpiece down.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 80,070 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 113,967 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 1995–2025.
Total Reports
113,967
Death-Related Reports
9,607
Hospitalization Reports
41,765
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DYSPNOEA | 15,965 |
| 2 | ASTHMA | 9,278 |
| 3 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 8,811 |
| 4 | COUGH | 7,339 |
| 5 | PNEUMONIA | 6,990 |
| 6 | NAUSEA | 6,755 |
| 7 | FATIGUE | 6,712 |
| 8 | HEADACHE | 6,488 |
| 9 | PAIN | 5,880 |
| 10 | OFF LABEL USE | 5,854 |
| 11 | WHEEZING | 5,290 |
| 12 | DIARRHOEA | 5,029 |
| 13 | VOMITING | 4,626 |
| 14 | DIZZINESS | 4,553 |
| 15 | ANXIETY | 4,259 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
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.
Known Drug Interactions
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, s...
Mechanism: 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.
What to do: 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.
Avoid coadministration of COMBIVENT RESPIMAT and other sympathomimetic agents (7.2) Beta-blockers: Inhibit the effect of albuterol. (7.4) Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOs) or tricyclic antidepressants: May potentiate effect of albuterol on the vascular system. 7.3 Beta-receptor Blocking Agents Beta-receptor blocking agents and albuterol inhibit the effect of each other.
Mechanism: Both of these products contain the same type of medicine. Taking them together can cause you to get too much of the drug, which can lead to a racing heart or jitters.
What to do: Avoid using these two medications at the same time. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you choose the right single inhaler to use.
( 7.3 ) • Albuterol (or other beta 2 agonists) - Action of albuterol on cardiovascular system can be potentiated. 7.4 Albuterol Atomoxetine should be administered with caution to patients being treated with systemically-administered (oral or intravenous) albuterol (or other beta 2 agonists) because the action of albuterol on the cardiovascular system can be potentiated resulting in increases in heart rate and blood pressure. Albuterol (600 mcg iv over 2 hours) induced increases in heart rate and blood pressure.
Mechanism: Atomoxetine can make the effects of albuterol on your heart and blood vessels much stronger. This can cause your heart to beat faster and your blood pressure to rise.
What to do: Use these medications together with caution and under a doctor's supervision. Your provider should regularly check your heart rate and blood pressure.
( 7.2 ) Digoxin: May decrease serum digoxin levels. Consider monitoring digoxin levels. 7.3 Digoxin Mean decreases of 16% to 22% in serum digoxin levels were demonstrated after single-dose intravenous and oral administration of albuterol, respectively, to normal volunteers who had received digoxin for 10 days.
Mechanism: Albuterol can lower the amount of digoxin in your blood, which might make the heart medicine less effective.
What to do: Your doctor should check your digoxin blood levels regularly to ensure the medicine is still working correctly.
The following are examples of medications that may reduce the glucose-lowering effect of sulfonylureas including glimepiride, leading to worsening glycemic control: danazol, glucagon, somatropin, protease inhibitors, atypical antipsychotic medications (e.g., olanzapine and clozapine), barbiturates, diazoxide, laxatives, rifampin, thiazides and other diuretics, corticosteroids, phenothiazines, thyroid hormones, estrogens, oral contraceptives, phenytoin, nicotinic acid, sympathomimetics (e.g., epinephrine, albuterol, terbutaline), and isoniazid.
Mechanism: Albuterol can cause blood sugar levels to rise, which works against the effects of the diabetes medicine glimepiride.
What to do: Monitor your blood sugar levels more often, as your doctor may need to adjust your diabetes medication.
Common Questions
How do I prime the inhaler?
How often should I clean the inhaler?
Can I use this inhaler with other medications?
What should I do if I feel chest pain after using the inhaler?
How many puffs are in each inhaler?
How will I know when the inhaler is empty?
Can I use a different actuator with this canister?
What if the inhaler gets too hot?
Can I use this for a sudden asthma attack?
What if I accidentally spray it in my eyes?
What are the common side effects of albuterol?
Does albuterol interact with other medications?
What drug class is albuterol?
Is albuterol safe during pregnancy?
Has albuterol been recalled?
Is albuterol currently in shortage?
Active Recalls
Failed Stability Specifications: Out of specification results was observed in Induction Port during the analysis of Particle size distribution at the 12-month time point.
Cipla USA, Inc.
Defective delivery system
AsttraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
Defective Delivery System: Elevated number of units with out of specification results for leak rate.
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC
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What the FDA Data Shows for albuterol
The FDA label for albuterol (sold under brand names such as Ventolin, ProAir, Proventil) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Short-Acting Beta-2 Agonist class. This medicine treats or prevents bronchospasm in adults and kids 4 years and older who have reversible obstructive airway disease. Official labeling lists 5 commonly reported side effects, including Throat irritation, Viral respiratory infections, Upper respiratory inflammation.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 80,070 voluntary reports. The database also lists 16 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.45.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history (currently 3 recall records on file), and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC). Shortage status: FDA Drug Shortages Database.
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: December 31, 2024
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages