Levalbuterol

What is Levalbuterol?

Levalbuterol is a rescue inhaler that works as a bronchodilator to open up your airways when you’re having an asthma attack. You can also take it half an hour before you exercise to keep asthma symptoms from developing. The effects of Levalbuterol last for an average of three hours but can go on for up to six hours.^[1]

Levalbuterol is the generic version of Xopenex, so even though it’ll work essentially the same way, you can get it for a lower price. It contains a derivative of albuterol, which is the active ingredient in other inhalers such as Ventolin, ProAir, and Proventil.

Rescue inhalers are the kind of inhaler that you need to have with you at all times in case you get an asthma attack. If you use another type of inhaler, known as a preventer inhaler, you’ll need to use both – the preventer every day, and the rescue during the onset of symptoms.^[2]

How does Levalbuterol work?

The active ingredient in Levalbuterol belongs to a class of drugs known as Beta-2 agonists, which keep the soft tissue in your airways from contracting, keeping your airways open, and improving asthma symptoms by making it easier for you to breathe.

It’s also thought that Beta-2 agonists have anti-inflammatory properties that can help you in the long-term, such as reducing the severity of your asthma symptoms.^[3]

What doses of Levalbuterol are there?

Since Levalbuterol is an on-demand treatment, there isn’t a set dose: you should take it whenever you feel asthma symptoms developing (or before exercising). You can take up to two puffs, four times a day. Each puff delivers 59 micrograms of albuterol tartrate.

You should never exceed the maximum recommended dose, so if you find that two puffs every four to six hours are not enough, you should speak to your clinician so they can prescribe you a different rescue inhaler, a preventer inhaler, or tweak your preventer inhaler dose if you’re already using one.

How to use Levalbuterol

The clinician who prescribes Levalbuterol to you will be able to give you instructions on how to use it properly, as well as tell you the maximum dose you can take in a day, and what to do if you need help. You should always follow their directions, but here’s a few general guidelines you can follow too:

• Always shake the inhaler well for five seconds before each use. If you’re using it twice in a row, you need to shake it before your second puff as well;
• If you’re using the inhaler for the first time, you haven’t used it for over two days, or you dropped your inhaler, you need to do four test puffs. You just need to press the canister four times in the air, away from your face. Try to hold it far away from you to avoid getting it on your eyes;
• If you’re taking two puffs in a row you need to wait at least one minute between each puff;
• Take off the mouth cap, breathe out as much as you can, and place the mouthpiece between your lips. Afterward, breathe in and press down the canister slowly, and at the same time. Then hold your breath for ten seconds and exhale slowly;
• Put the mouth cap back on the inhaler and store it in a dry, room temperature place, with the mouthpiece pointing downwards.

How long does it take Levalbuterol to work?

If you’re using Levalbuterol to prevent asthma symptoms from developing during exercise, you should aim to take it 15-30 minutes before you begin.

If you’re using Levalbuterol to treat asthma symptoms as-and-when they happen, you should feel significant relief from five to ten minutes after you use it, but it can take over an hour for the drug to reach its full effectiveness. The benefits of Levalbuterol may last at least three hours, but they can go on for up to six hours.

What should I do if I make a mistake when using Levalbuterol?

Since Levalbuterol is an on-demand treatment, you can’t exactly miss a dose, but you might forget to take it with you when you leave the house and end up needing it. To avoid this, you can always keep your inhaler in the handbag you use daily or next to an item that you always take with you when you leave the house, such as your wallet or car keys. This will prevent you from going anywhere without it, and you will always know where it is.

If you accidentally take too much Xopenex, you should seek emergency medical attention so your symptoms can be treated as they occur. The symptoms of an overdose might include but are not limited to, nausea, dizziness, heart palpitations, headaches, tremors, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), dry mouth, fatigue, and insomnia.^[1]