Pirbuterol, Inhalation

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: bronchodilator

Generic and brand names: pirbuterol, inhalation; Maxair Autohaler

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.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have:

• an allergy to any medicine
• diabetes
• epilepsy
• glaucoma
• high blood pressure
• heart disease including abnormal heartbeats and angina (chest pain)
• hypokalemia (low blood potassium)
• thyroid problems.

Talk with your healthcare provider if you are using any other short-acting aerosol bronchodilator or beta blocker medicine. When you use these medicines together with this one, it may affect your heart.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I use it?

This medicine is inhaled by mouth from an aerosol inhaler.

Use this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. Do not change your dosage without your healthcare provider's approval. Using too much may increase the risk of side effects. An adult should supervise the use of this medicine by a child.

Usually you will use this medicine according to a regular schedule. Ask your healthcare provider if you should use this medicine during an asthma attack.

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

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

Wash your hands before using this medicine.

1. Remove the mouthpiece cover. (Pull down on the lip on the back of the cover).
2. Hold the inhaler upright with arrows pointing up. While still upright, flip the lever on the top until it snaps into place.
3. Shake the inhaler gently several times.
4. Breathe out normally.
5. Place the mouthpiece fully in your mouth and close your lips around it. Hold the unit upright. Do not hold the inhaler on the bottom.
6. Breathe in deeply through the mouthpiece. Continue to take a full deep breath when you hear a click and feel a soft puff. This means the medicine has been released.
7. Hold your breath for 5 to 10 seconds, or as long as is comfortable (this gives the medicine time to reach the airways). Before breathing out, remove the inhaler from your mouth.
8. Breathe out slowly.
9. Continue to hold the inhaler upright while you lower the lever. Lower the lever after each use of the inhaler and replace the mouthpiece cover.
10. If your healthcare provider has prescribed more than one inhalation (puff), repeat the above steps.

If you do not understand how to use the inhaler, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist to demonstrate.

If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and use the next one as directed. Do not use double doses. If you are not sure of what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your healthcare provider.

What should I watch out for?

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

If you need to use the medicine more often, if your symptoms do not improve, or if your condition gets worse, contact your healthcare provider right away.

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 healthcare provider about this.

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 healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

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

Other: Hoarseness, coughing, dry mouth, nausea, dizziness, headache, restlessness, trouble sleeping, 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 healthcare provider if you are taking:

• antithyroid medicines such as potassium iodide (SSKI) and propylthiouracil (PTU)
• beta blockers such as metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), propranolol (Inderal), and nadolol (Corgard)
• digoxin (Lanoxin)
• 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.)
• other bronchodilators
• quinidine
• tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), doxepin (Sinequan), and maprotiline (Ludiomil). (Do not take this medicine and a tricyclic antidepressant within 14 days of each other.)

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

How should I store this medicine?

Aerosol inhaler: Store at room temperature protected from heat. Do not puncture the canister. Do not use near heat or an open flame. Do not throw inhaler into an open fire or incinerator.

Nebulizer solution: Store at room temperature. Keep containers tightly closed. Protect from heat and bight light. Do not use solutions that are cloudy or discolored

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare 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.