Prescription medication · Beta-2 Agonist / Anticholinergic Combination
albuterol/ipratropium
Also sold as Combivent Respimat, DuoNeb. This medicine treats Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 75,724
- FDA reports
- 1
- InteractionFew interactions
- $117.27
- Brand price (NADAC)
What the data shows
albuterol/ipratropium (Combivent Respimat) is a prescription Beta-2 Agonist / Anticholinergic Combination, with 75,724 FDA adverse-event reports on file, with 1 documented drug interaction.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
albuterol/ipratropium (Combivent Respimat) is a prescription Beta-2 Agonist / Anticholinergic Combination. This medicine treats Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Combivent Respimat is a combination medicine that helps open your airways. It contains two medicines: ipratropium and albuterol.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$117.27/unit
Generic Available
No
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
This medicine treats Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Common side effects
Upper respiratory infection, Runny nose and sore throat, Cough
Key warnings
Combivent Respimat can cause your breathing to get worse (paradoxical bronchospasm).
The sections below are summarized in plain English from albuterol/ipratropium's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Combivent Respimat contains two medicines that work in different ways. Albuterol relaxes the muscles in your airways, opening them up. Ipratropium helps to prevent the muscles around your airways from tightening.
How to Take It
Use one puff of Combivent Respimat four times a day. You can take extra puffs if needed. Do not use more than six puffs in 24 hours. Make sure to prime the inhaler before using it for the first time, or if it hasn't been used in a while.
This is a plain-language summary of albuterol/ipratropium's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before using this medicine. It is not known if Combivent Respimat will harm your unborn baby. It is also not known if this medicine passes into breast milk.
This is a plain-language summary of albuterol/ipratropium's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. Do not take two doses at the same time.
This is a plain-language summary of albuterol/ipratropium's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store Combivent Respimat at room temperature, away from freezing temperatures.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 75,724 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for albuterol/ipratropium, by number of reports
- Difficulty breathing
Difficulty breathing
15,966 reports
- Asthma
Asthma
9,278 reports
- Cough
Cough
7,340 reports
- Pneumonia
Pneumonia
6,990 reports
- Nausea
Nausea
6,757 reports
- Tiredness
Tiredness
6,712 reports
- Headache
Headache
6,485 reports
- Pain 5,877
Pain
5,877 reports
- Wheezing 5,290
Wheezing
5,290 reports
- Diarrhea 5,029
Diarrhea
5,029 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Serious Warnings
Combivent Respimat can cause your breathing to get worse (paradoxical bronchospasm). If this happens, stop using it right away and get medical help. This medicine can also cause heart problems, eye problems, and trouble urinating. Tell your doctor if you have any of these conditions.
Known Drug Interactions
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.
This is a plain-language summary of interactions documented in FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before combining medications.
Common Questions
What should I do if Combivent Respimat makes my breathing worse?
Can Combivent Respimat affect my heart?
Is it safe to spray Combivent Respimat in my eyes?
Can Combivent Respimat cause urinary problems?
What if I am allergic to Combivent Respimat?
Can I use Combivent Respimat with other inhalers?
How do I know when my Combivent Respimat inhaler is empty?
Can I use Combivent Respimat if I have diabetes?
How often should I clean my Combivent Respimat inhaler?
What do I do if Combivent Respimat doesn't seem to be working?
What are the common side effects of albuterol/ipratropium?
Does albuterol/ipratropium interact with other medications?
What drug class is albuterol/ipratropium?
Is albuterol/ipratropium safe during pregnancy?
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What the FDA Data Shows for albuterol/ipratropium
The FDA label for albuterol/ipratropium (sold under brand names such as Combivent Respimat, DuoNeb) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Beta-2 Agonist / Anticholinergic Combination class. This medicine treats Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Official labeling lists 6 commonly reported side effects, including Upper respiratory infection, Runny nose and sore throat, Cough.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 75,724 voluntary reports. The database also lists 1 documented drug interaction derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS.
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, 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).
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 1, 2025
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
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