Albuterol is a prescription medication used to improve symptoms associated with asthma by relaxing airway muscles. This medication can be administered by mouth in liquid or tablet form. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a number of drug warnings for albuterol, which should be taken into consideration before beginning treatment with this medication.
Deterioration of Asthma
You can develop progressive deterioration of asthma over several hours or days after taking albuterol. If this occurs, you will notice that your asthma symptoms become worse and do not seem to respond to medical treatment. Recurrent use of albuterol over a short period of time can irritate the bronchial passageways, causing persistent or more severe asthma symptoms to develop in certain patients. To avoid such complications, be sure to use albuterol only as prescribed by your doctor.
Cardiovascular Effects
Use of albuterol can alter the normal function of your heart. If this occurs, you can develop chest pain, an irregular heart beat or abnormal blood pressure. These cardiovascular effects occur more frequently in patients who have certain heart-related problems, including high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia or coronary insufficiency, explain health professionals at Daily Med, a website established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Discuss any heart-related conditions you may have with your doctor before taking albuterol in order to limit your chance of developing potentially life-threatening cardiovascular effects due to this medication.
Paradoxical Bronchospasm
After taking albuterol, you can develop a life-threatening condition called paradoxical bronchospasm. Though albuterol is typically used to ease bronchial muscle contractions, certain people can develop an abnormal contraction of the bronchial muscles (bronchospasm) after taking this medication. If this occurs, you can experience symptoms of severe wheezing, coughing or shortness of breath. In rare cases, paradoxical bronchospasm caused by albuterol can lead to the cessation of breath, which can be fatal if medical intervention is not immediately received.
Hypersensitivity Reactions
Certain people can develop a hypersensitivity reaction immediately after taking a dose of albuterol. Symptoms of a hypersensitivity reaction include swelling of the mouth, skin rash, hives or difficulty breathing. You may also experience alterations in your blood pressure or heart rate due to a hypersensitivity reaction to albuterol. Seek immediate medical care if you develop any of these symptoms after taking a dose of albuterol.
