In the event that you are suffering from asthma, it will be a good thing for you to get in touch with your doctor from time to time. This way, together you will be able to work your way around some of the common symptoms that you might be dealing with, and it will make your life a lot easier. People who are suffering from asthma will normally be advised to have an inhaler at hand, just in case they have an attack and there is no way they can get help as fast as possible. The inhalers have in the recent past been life savers, and one of the most preferred of them all is Ventolin HFA, medically referred to as albuterol sulfate inhalation aerosol. It is an inhaler that is normally used to help in keeping bronchospasm at bay. It is also effective for those whose exercises result in bronchospasm. It is therefore a bronchodilator, and for the same reason you can also get it in a generic form. Before you start using Ventolin, you need to get in touch with your doctor and open up about any other drugs that you are using, particularly the following:
- Any bronchodilator like sameterol or isoproterenol
- Antidepressants
- Diuretics (water pills)
- Any MAO inhibitor
What you need to know before you start using Ventolin
There are a number of things that you will need to take into consideration before you start using this particular inhaler. In particular, if you have any known allergies to albuterol, you need to avoid it, so that you do not get into any complications that might make your life more difficult than it already is. Other than that, you need to get in touch with your doctor so that you can be able to determine whether you have some other challenges that might render your use of Ventolin to be a challenge. The following are some of the conditions that you need to open up to your doctor about, before you start using this inhaler:
- An overly active thyroid, or diabetes
- Any seizure disorders such as epilepsy
- Heart rhythm disorders
- Heard disease, failure, or high blood pressure
How to use Ventolin
As is the case with most of the medication that you will use throughout your life, it is always important for you to make sure that you learn how to use them effectively. This pretty much means that you need to follow the guidelines that are set by your doctor. The following are some simple guidelines that will help you make sure that you can use this inhaler properly, and to get the best treatment from it:
- Never use the inhaler in smaller or larger dosages than what has been recommended
- Do not use the inhaler longer than you are supposed to
- Always pay attention to all the directions that are on the label
Side effects of using Ventolin
Like most of the other drugs out there, there are a number of side effects that you need to be aware of when you are using this inhaler. Prior knowledge of these will help you work out a better way to use this inhaler, or switch to something else that will not cause you harm in the long run. One thing that you need to make sure, is that when any of these side effects occur, you should discontinue usage and get immediate help from your doctor. You will also need to get in touch with your doctor so that you can work out an alternative in the event that the side effects of this inhaler might give you a difficult time. The following are some of the serious side effects that you need to know about:
- Nervousness and tremor
- Uneven heartbeats, or seizure, dangerously high blood pressure
- Pounding in the chest, chest pain and uneven heartbeats
- Bronchospasm immediately after you start using a new canister for Ventolin
Other than the serious side effects, there are some other side effects that might not be as serious as the ones we have listed above. These include:
- Diarrhea
- Muscle pain
- Dryness in the mouth or throat
- Headaches
With these points taken into consideration, you should not have a difficult time using Ventolin, and you will have better control over your asthma attacks.