Bronchodilators

Side Effects :

Some patients have a dry or irritated throat or a dry mouth after using bronchodilators. To help prevent these problems, gargling and rinsing the mouth or taking a sip of water after each dose.

The most common side effects are nervousness or restlessness and trembling. These problems usually go away as the body adjusts to the drug and do not require medical treatment. Less common side effects, such as bad taste in the mouth, coughing, dizziness or lightheadedness, drowsiness, headache, sweating, fast or pounding heartbeat, muscle cramps or twitches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sleep problems and weakness also may occur and do not need medical attention unless they do not go away or they interfere with normal activities.

More serious side effects are not common, but may occur. If any of the following side effects occur, the physician who prescribed the medicine should be contacted as soon as possible:

• chest pain or discomfort
• irregular or fluttery heartbeat
• unusual bruising
• hives or rash
• swelling
• wheezing or other breathing problems
• numbness in the hands or feet
• blurred vision

Other side effects are possible. Anyone who has unusual symptoms after using a bronchodilator should get in touch with his or her physician.

Interactions

Bronchodilators may interact with a number of other medicines. When this happens, the effects of one or both of the drugs may change or the risk of side effects may be greater. Anyone who takes these drugs should let the physician know all other medicines he or she is taking. Among the drugs that may interact with bronchodilators are:

• monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO inhibitors) such as phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate), used to treat depression
• other bronchodilators
• tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil) and imipramine (Tofranil)
• beta blockers such as propranolol (Inderal) and atenolol (Tenormin), used to control high blood pressure
• digitalis medicines, used to treat heart conditions, such as digoxin (Lanoxin)
• drugs, such as certain diuretics (water pills), that lower potassium levels
• ergoloid mesylates such as Hydergine, used to treat symptoms of Alzheimer's disease or multiple small stokes
• ergotamine (Cafergot, Ergostat, and other brands), used to treat migraine and cluster headaches
• the antidepressant maprotiline (Ludiomil).

The list above does not include every drug that may interact with bronchodilators. Be sure to check with a physician or pharmacist before combining bronchodilators with any other prescription or non-prescription (over-the-counter) medicine.

Recommended Dosage :

The recommended dosage depends on the type of bronchodilator and may be different for different patients. The physician who prescribed the drug or the pharmacist who filled the prescription can recommend correct dosage.