Pirbuterol, Inhalation

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: bronchodilator

Generic and brand names: pirbuterol, inhalation; Maxair

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is known as a bronchodilator. Bronchodilators are commonly used to treat the symptoms of lung diseases such as emphysema, bronchitis, and asthma. They relieve difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing. They may be used before exercise to prevent exercise-induced asthma.

How do I use it?

This medicine is inhaled by mouth in one of three ways:

• drops placed in a hand nebulizer
• powder in capsules that are emptied into a special device from which you inhale the powder (do not swallow these capsules)
• aerosol spray from a metered dose inhaler (MDI), which delivers a measured dose each time you press down.

Carefully read and follow all directions that come in your medicine package.

Aerosol products may come with a spacer for the MDI. The spacer helps you get the right amount of medicine.

Keep the aerosol mist away from your eyes to avoid irritation.

If your medicine is in capsule form, do not swallow the capsules. Empty them into the inhalation device that comes with your medicine. Then inhale the powder.

Use this medicine exactly as your health care provider prescribes. Do not change your dosage without your health care provider's approval. Using too much may increase the risk of side effects. Your health care provider may want you to have regular checkups.

If you are using any other inhaled medicine, wait at least 5 minutes between doses of your medicines.

What should I watch out for?

Check with your health care provider or pharmacist before using any nonprescription medicines, especially other inhaled medicines.

If your symptoms do not improve or if they get worse, contact your health care provider.

Diabetics: This medicine may affect your blood sugar level and change the amount of insulin or other diabetes medicines you may need. Talk to your health care provider about this.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your health care provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Serious (report these to your health care provider right away): Chest pain, increased trouble breathing, irregular or fast heartbeat, hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there).

Other: Chest irritation, coughing, nausea, dizziness, headache, restlessness, trembling, pounding heartbeat, weakness.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your health care provider if you are taking:

• beta blockers such as metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), propranolol (Inderal), and nadolol (Corgard)
• blood pressure medicines
• ergot medicines for migraines such as Cafergot, Ergomar, and Ergostat
• finasteride (Proscar)
• furazolidone (Furoxone)
• guanadrel (Hylorel) and guanethidine (Ismelin)
• MAO inhibitor antidepressants such as phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), and isocarboxazid (Marplan) (Do not take this medicine and an MAO inhibitor within 14 days of each other.)
• nitrates such as nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Nitrong, Nitro-Dur) and isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil)
• phenothiazines such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), fluphenazine (Permitil, Prolixin), prochlorperazine (Compazine), mesoridazine (Serentil), thioridazine (Mellaril), trifluoperazine (Stelazine), promazine (Sparine), and triflupromazine (Vesprin)
• pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
• terazosin (Hytrin)
• thyroid hormones
• tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), doxepin (Sinequan), and maprotiline (Ludiomil).

Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. Be sure that you tell all health care providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine in a cool place away from bright light. Do not refrigerate. Do not use any liquid medicine that is dark or cloudy.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your health care provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.