Key takeaways
- Albuterol inhalers treat bronchospasm (tightening and swelling of the muscles around your airways), often caused by asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- The typical dosage for adults is 2 puffs every 4 to 6 hours to treat airway tightness, or 2 puffs 15 to 30 minutes before exercise to prevent it.
- Taking too much albuterol can cause side effects like a fast or irregular heart rate, chest pain, jitteriness, and headache. Contact your doctor right away if you need to use your inhaler more often than every 4 to 6 hours.
Overview
An albuterol inhaler treats or prevents bronchospasm (tightening and swelling of the muscles around your airways). Asthma often causes bronchospasm, but other respiratory conditions can also cause it.
Albuterol inhalers also come in brand-name forms, such as Ventolin HFA. Albuterol is a prescription drug, so you will need a prescription from a doctor to get it. It is not available over the counter (OTC).
You can typically take up to two puffs from an albuterol inhaler every 4 to 6 hours. If you’re taking more than one puff, doctors may instruct you to wait one minute between puffs.
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Albuterol inhaler dosage
How often you should use your albuterol inhaler may vary based on your condition.
The dosage of albuterol for adults is typically two puffs from an albuterol inhaler every 4 to 6 hours. This dosage of albuterol is to treat airway tightness caused by asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Doctors typically prescribe two puffs from an albuterol inhaler for adults to help prevent airway tightness that exercise could cause. You need to take the medication 15 to 30 minutes before exercising.
Sometimes, doctors prescribe albuterol to help manage airway tightness, known as bronchospasm, which is a symptom of bronchitis. Albuterol works by relaxing airway passages in the lungs, which can make it easier to breathe.
However, albuterol doesn’t treat the inflammation or swelling from bronchitis. It also doesn’t treat the infection that causes bronchitis. So your doctor may prescribe additional treatments, like corticosteroids, depending on the cause of your condition.
For children ages 4 to 17 years, the dosage of albuterol is the same as for adults — two puffs from an albuterol inhaler every 4 to 6 hours. Some people may only need one puff every 4 hours. The safety and effectiveness of albuterol have not been tested in children under the age of 4 years.
Always follow your doctor’s instructions for how often you should use your inhaler and how many puffs you should take. You should not take more puffs or use your inhaler more than your doctor prescribes.
Note: There are two different types of albuterol inhalers: an aerosol metered-dose inhaler and a powder metered-dose inhaler. Both forms of inhaler deliver 90 micrograms (mcg) of albuterol for every 108 mcg of albuterol sulfate inhaled.
Can you use an albuterol inhaler every 2 hours?
If you feel like you need to use your inhaler more than every 4 to 6 hours, contact your doctor right away.
In some cases, your doctor may recommend using albuterol more frequently than every 4 to 6 hours. But this would typically be in response to an asthma attack.
In such instances, they may recommend using up to three puffs of albuterol, spaced out by 20 minutes, within the first hour of an asthma attack. After each puff, you should reassess your asthma symptoms. If you feel relief in your symptoms, you can then use albuterol every 3 to 4 hours for the next day or two.
It’s important to contact your doctor if you need to use albuterol in response to an asthma attack. They will also provide instructions on what to do next.
How long do you have to wait between puffs of albuterol?
The length of time you need to wait after each puff of an albuterol inhaler will vary depending on your specific condition. But typically, if your doctor has instructed you to take multiple puffs, you should wait 1 minute between puffs.
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Get free cardWhat happens if you take too much albuterol?
It’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions for how much albuterol you take. You should not take more puffs or use your inhaler more than you’ve been prescribed.
If you take too much albuterol, it could lead to dangerous levels of the drug in your body and cause more side effects. You may have the following symptoms after taking too much albuterol:
- fast heart rate
- irregular heart rate
- chest pain
- high or low blood pressure
- jitteriness
- headache
- dry mouth
- nausea
- dizziness
Rarely, albuterol can make breathing suddenly worse instead of better. If you develop new or worsening wheezing or trouble breathing right after using the inhaler, stop using it and get medical help right away.
Taking too much albuterol can also cause seizures or low potassium levels. In severe cases, excessive use has been associated with cardiac arrest and death.
If you think you’ve taken too much albuterol, call your doctor or local poison control center right away or go to the nearest emergency room.
Next steps
Here are some next steps to consider if you’ve been prescribed albuterol:
- Review your current plan: If you use an albuterol inhaler, double-check your dosage and timing with your doctor to ensure it aligns with the guidelines in this article.
- Prepare for emergencies: Ask your doctor for a personalized asthma or COPD action plan. This should include when to use your inhaler, what to do during an attack, and when to seek emergency care.
- Check your technique: If you’re unsure how to use your inhaler correctly, ask your doctor or pharmacist to demonstrate the proper technique.
- Monitor your usage: If you find yourself needing your inhaler more often than every 4 to 6 hours (or more than prescribed), contact your doctor immediately. This could be a sign that your condition needs adjustment.
- Track your symptoms: Keep a symptom diary to share with your doctor. Note when you use your inhaler, how often, and any side effects you experience.
- Review your prescription: If you’re using albuterol regularly for exercise-induced symptoms, ask your doctor if a preventive medication (like a daily inhaler) might reduce your need for albuterol.
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