 is a prescription medication used to treat bronchospasm (narrowing of airways) in people who have reversible obstructive airway disease, or to prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm. Proair HFA belongs to a group of drugs called beta agonists or bronchodilators which cause the smooth muscle of the airways to relax, making it easier to breathe.This medication comes in an inhaler to be breathed slowly into the lungs.Common side... "Pin It")
Proair Overview
Proair HFA (generic: albuterol) is a prescription medication used to treat bronchospasm (narrowing of airways) in people who have reversible obstructive airway disease, or to prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm. Proair HFA belongs to a group of drugs called beta agonists or bronchodilators which cause the smooth muscle of the airways to relax, making it easier to breathe.
This medication comes in an inhaler to be breathed slowly into the lungs.
Common side effects of Proair include fast heartbeat, shakiness, headache, and nervousness.
Uses of Proair
Proair HFA is a prescription medication used in people 4 years of age and older to:
- treat or prevent bronchospasm in people who have reversible obstructive airway disease
- prevent exercise induced bronchospasm
This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Side Effects of Proair
Proair HFA may cause serious side effects, including:
- worsening trouble breathing, coughing and wheezing (paradoxical bronchospasm). If this happens stop using Proair HFA and call your doctor or get emergency help right away. Paradoxical bronchospasm is more likely to happen with your first use of a new canister of medicine.
- heart problems including faster heart rate and higher blood pressure
- possible death in people with asthma who use too much Proair HFA
- allergic reactions. Call your doctor right away if you have the following symptoms of an allergic reaction:
- itchy skin
- swelling beneath your skin or in your throat
- rash
- worsening trouble breathing
- low potassium levels in your blood
- worsening of other medical problems in people who also use Proair HFA including increases in blood sugar
The most common side effects of Proair HFA include:
- your heart feels like it is pounding or racing (palpitations)
- chest pain
- fast heart rate
- shakiness
- nervousness
- headache
- dizziness
- sore throat
- runny nose
Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
These are not all of the possible side effects of Proair HFA. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Proair Interactions
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Proair HFA and other medicines may affect each other and cause side effects. Proair HFA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect the way Proair HFA works.
Especially tell your doctor if you take:
- other inhaled medicines or asthma medicines
- beta blocker medicines
- diuretics
- digoxin
- monoamine oxidase inhibitors
- tricyclic antidepressants
Proair Precautions
Do not use Proair HFA if you are allergic to albuterol sulfate or any of the ingredients in Proair HFA. See the end of this leaflet for a complete list of ingredients in Proair HFA.
Proair Food Interactions
Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Proair HFA there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving Proair HFA.
Inform MD
Before you use Proair HFA, tell your doctor if you:
- have heart problems
- have high blood pressure (hypertension)
- have convulsions (seizures)
- have thyroid problems
- have diabetes
- have low potassium levels in your blood
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Proair HFA will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Proair HFA passes into your breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you are using Proair HFA.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Proair HFA and other medicines may affect each other and cause side effects. Proair HFA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect the way Proair HFA works.
Especially tell your doctor if you take:
- other inhaled medicines or asthma medicines
- beta blocker medicines
- diuretics
- digoxin
- monoamine oxidase inhibitors
- tricyclic antidepressants
Proair and Pregnancy
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Proair HFA will harm your unborn baby.
Proair and Lactation
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Proair HFA passes into your breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you are using Proair HFA.
Proair Usage
- Use Proair HFA exactly as your doctor tells you to use it.
- If your child needs to use Proair HFA, watch your child closely to make sure your child uses the inhaler correctly. Your doctor will show you how your child should use Proair HFA.
- Each dose of Proair HFA should last up to 4 hours to 6 hours.
- Do not increase your dose or take extra doses of Proair HFA without first talking to your doctor.
- Get medical help right away if Proair HFA no longer helps your symptoms.
- Get medical help right away if your symptoms get worse or if you need to use your inhaler more often.
- While you are using Proair HFA, do not use other inhaled rescue medicines and asthma medicines unless your doctor tells you to do so.
- Call your doctor if your asthma symptoms like wheezing and trouble breathing become worse over a few hours or days. Your doctor may need to give you another medicine (for example, corticosteroids) to treat your symptoms.
Priming your Proair HFA:
- You must prime the inhaler to get the right amount of medicine. Prime the inhaler before you use it for the first time or if you have not used it for more than 14 days. To prime the inhaler, take the cap off the mouthpiece of the actuator. Then shake the inhaler well, and spray it into the air away from your face. Shake and spray the inhaler like this 2 more times to finish priming it.
Read through the 6 steps below before using Proair HFA. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
1. Take the cap off the mouthpiece of the actuator. Shake the inhaler well before each spray.
2. Hold the inhaler with the mouthpiece down. Breathe out through your mouth and push as much air from your lungs as you can. Put the mouthpiece in your mouth and close your lips around it.
3. Push the top of the canister all the way down while you breathe in deeply and slowly through your mouth. Right after the spray comes out, take your finger off the canister. After you have breathed in all the way, take the inhaler out of your mouth and close your mouth.
4. Hold your breath as long as you can, up to 10 seconds, then breathe normally.
5. If your doctor has prescribed more sprays, wait 1 minute and shake the inhaler again. Repeat steps 2 through 4.
6. Put the cap back on the mouthpiece after every time you use the inhaler, and make sure it snaps firmly into place.
Proair Dosage
Take Proair HFA exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully. Your doctor will determine the best dose for you.
For treatment of acute episodes of bronchospasm or prevention of symptoms associated with bronchospasm, the usual dosage for adults and children 4 years and older is two inhalations repeated every 4 to 6 hours.
For treatment of exercise-induced bronchospasm the usual dosage for adults and children 4 years of age or older is two inhalations 15 to 30 minutes before exercise.
Do not increase your dose or take extra doses of Proair HFA without first talking to your doctor.
Proair Overdose
If you take too much Proair HFA, call your local Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical attention right away.
Forms of Proair
Proair HFA is an inhalation aerosol. Proair HFA is supplied as an 8.5 g/200 actuations pressurized aluminum canister with a red plastic actuator with a dose counter and white dust cap each in boxes of one. Each actuation delivers 120 mcg of albuterol sulfate from the canister valve and 108 mcg of albuterol sulfate from the actuator mouthpiece (equivalent to 90 mcg of albuterol base).
Other Requirements
- Before you reach 200 sprays, you should refill your prescription or ask your doctor if you need another prescription for Proair HFA.
- Throw the inhaler away when you have used 200 sprays. You should not keep using the inhaler after 200 sprays even though the canister may not be completely empty because you cannot be sure you will receive any medicine.
- Do not use the inhaler after the expiration date, which is on the packaging it comes in.
- Store between 15° and 25° C (59° and 77° F). Avoid exposure to extreme heat and cold. For best results, canister should be at room temperature.
- It is very important to keep the plastic actuator clean so the medicine will not build-up and block the spray. Do not try to clean the metal canister or let it get wet. The inhaler may stop spraying if it is not cleaned correctly. Wash the actuator at least once a week.
