Generic Ventolin Inhaler

Introduction

Ventolin is an aerosol for inhalation, which is used to achieve a bronchodilator effect. According to its pharmacological action, it is a selective β2-adrenergic agonist. Its active ingredient is Salbutamol (registered by WHO), also known as Albuterol. When used in therapeutic doses, Salbutamol acts on β2-adrenergic receptors of bronchial smooth muscles and has a short-term (4 to 6 hours) bronchodilator effect on β2-adrenergic receptors. It has little or no effect on myocardial beta1-adrenergic receptors. Salbutamol (Albuterol) is characterized by a rapid onset of action (within 5 minutes), which makes it an effective drug for use in reversible airway obstruction.

Ventolin almost immediately after application has a pronounced bronchodilating effect, preventing or stopping bronchospasm and reducing airway resistance. The drug increases the vital capacity of the lungs and mucociliary clearance (in chronic bronchitis up to 36%), stimulates the secretion of mucus, and activates the functions of the ciliated epithelium.

The most important indicator for the use of Ventolin is bronchial asthma, the attacks of which are removed precisely due to the expansion of the bronchi. The invention of Ventolin (Salbutamol) in 1967 marked a new era in the treatment of asthma attacks. Previously, only adrenaline was used for this, which was dangerous for the health of patients with an imperfect state of the cardiovascular system. The developer of the original preparation of Salbutamol – Ventolin – was the English pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline. She also developed special forms of drug delivery that allow it to be successfully used today in the treatment and prevention of asthma attacks, thanks to which Ventolin became the “gold standard” among drugs for stopping an asthma attack and remains so even to this day.

Generic Ventolin HFA Availability

Analogues of drugs, or generics, are drugs with the same active substance or with a different active substance, but with an identical therapeutic effect and a similar or completely similar pharmacological action. Usually, the need for generics arises when the drug you want is not available in the pharmacy, or when you want to buy a more affordable generic drug instead of an expensive original drug. This is true for drugs such as Ventolin, because the branded drug from GlaxoSmithKline is quite expensive. Most patients with bronchial asthma need to use Albuterol (Salbutamol) on a regular basis, so the purchase of generics is quite relevant for them.

The active substance of Ventolin, Salbutamol, was invented a long time ago, while the term of patent protection for such inventions leaves in most cases 20 years, occasionally 30 years. In this regard, for many years, any pharmaceutical companies have the right to use the original Ventolin dosage formula, the rights to which originally belonged to GlaxoSmithKline. Generic Ventolin HFA is available worldwide from pharmaceutical companies in Europe, USA, India, Canada, Australia, etc.

How to use

Generic Ventolin HFA is a convenient compact inhaler. It provides a built-in dose counter that tells you how many sprays of medicine you have remaining. Most generic drug manufacturers produce 200 or 60 dose Ventolin inhalers.

Generic Ventolin is intended only for inhalation administration by inhalation through the mouth. Before using the inhaler for the first time or if the inhaler has not been used for a long time, remove the cap from the mouthpiece, shake the inhaler well and spray twice into the air to make sure the inhaler is working properly. Before each use, remove the cap from the mouthpiece, inspect the mouthpiece to make sure it is clean, and shake the inhaler. The inhaler should be held between the index and thumb in an upright position with the bottom up. Place your thumb on the base of the inhaler under the mouthpiece. Begin to take a slow deep breath, clasping the mouthpiece with your lips and not squeezing it with your teeth. Inhale as deeply as possible through your mouth and simultaneously press the top of the inhaler to release one dose of Ventolin. Hold your breath for a few seconds, remove the mouthpiece from your mouth, then exhale slowly. If there is a need for a second dose, repeat all these steps, waiting about half a minute between doses. Close the mouthpiece with a protective cap. Avoid hurrying while using the inhaler. You should start inhaling as slowly as possible, just before pressing the inhaler valve. The first few times it is best to practice in front of a mirror. If you see “fog” coming out of the top of the inhaler or from the corners of the mouth, then you should wrap your lips around the mouthpiece more tightly.

In most cases, the duration of action of the drug is from 4 to 6 hours.

Side Effects

Generic Ventolin HFA, like the original drug, is well tolerated by the body at recommended therapeutic doses. Salbutamol does not have a negative effect on the cardiovascular system, does not cause an increase in blood pressure. It was these features that allowed him to become a safe replacement for drugs based on adrenaline, which were poorly tolerated by patients who could not boast of an ideal state of the cardiovascular system. Also, Salbutamol, to a lesser extent, in comparison with the drugs of this group, has a positive chronotropic and inotropic effect. However, patients with cardiovascular disease should take into account the fact that Ventolin causes dilation of the coronary arteries. Be sure to consult with a cardiologist about the optimal dosage and frequency of use of this medication.

Ventolin has a number of systemic metabolic effects, it can hardly be called a completely harmless drug. Unfortunately, this property is common to all β2-adrenergic agonists. Albuterol (Salbutamol) reduces the concentration of potassium in the blood plasma, affects glycogenolysis and insulin release, has a hyperglycemic (especially in patients with bronchial asthma) and lipolytic effect, increases the risk of acidosis.

The most commonly reported side effects of Ventolin include tremor, headache and tachycardia. Less common are such unpleasant reactions as a feeling of palpitations, irritation of the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and pharynx, muscle spasm of the throat. Rarely, patients experience such phenomena as hypokalemia and peripheral vasodilation, as well as hypersensitivity reactions (angioneurotic edema, urticaria, bronchospasm, hypotension and collapse).

If paradoxical bronchospasm occurs (increased wheezing after inhalation), Ventolin should be immediately discontinued. Contact your doctor to evaluate your condition and, if necessary, prescribe another rapid-acting bronchodilator to continue treatment.

Precautions

Patients with disorders of the cardiovascular system, as well as diseases of the central nervous system, after using generic Ventolin, may experience adverse reactions such as paradoxical bronchospasm, increased activity and nervousness, heart rhythm disturbance, cardiac arrhythmia, including atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia and extrasystole . Patients with type 2 diabetes should beware of lactic acidosis. Generic Ventolin should be used with caution in patients with thyrotoxicosis, tachyarrhythmia, myocarditis, heart defects, aortic stenosis, coronary artery disease, severe chronic heart failure, arterial hypertension, pheochromocytoma, decompensated diabetes mellitus, glaucoma. If you suffer from any of the listed diseases, be sure to consult with a specialized doctor, in addition to a phthisiatrician.

Particular care should be taken to prescribe the original or generic Ventolin to pregnant women. This medicine should only be used if the expected benefit to the mother outweighs the potential risk to the fetus. Against the background of taking Salbutamol during pregnancy, children may develop various malformations, including the formation of a "cleft palate" and malformations of the limbs. It is not recommended to prescribe Ventolin to lactating women, unless the expected benefit to the mother herself outweighs the potential risk to the child, due to the fact that at the moment there is no data on whether salbutamol present in breast milk has a harmful effect on the newborn.

Interactions

It is not recommended to use generic Ventolin and non-selective β-adrenergic blockers at the same time. Taking MAO inhibitors is not a contraindication to taking Ventolin. In patients with thyrotoxicosis, Ventolin enhances the action of CNS stimulants and tachycardia. Theophylline and other xanthines, when used simultaneously with salbutamol, increase the likelihood of developing tachyarrhythmia, and therefore this combination should be avoided.

The combination of Ventolin with anticholinergics (including inhalation agents) can increase intraocular pressure, which is especially dangerous for patients with already diagnosed glaucoma.

Diuretics and corticosteroids enhance the hypokalemic effect of salbutamol.

Overdose

The main symptoms of an overdose of Ventolin generics are transient phenomena, which are pharmacologically mediated by stimulation of β-adrenergic receptors. These include lowering blood pressure, tachycardia, muscle tremors, nausea, and vomiting. The use of too high doses of salbutamol can cause metabolic changes, including hypokalemia. In this regard, it is necessary to control the concentration of potassium in the blood serum. In case of overdose, it is recommended to control the increase in serum lactate and the possibility of developing metabolic acidosis.

Price

Original Ventolin costs patients an average of $80 for a 200-dose inhaler. At the same time, its generics containing the same active substance Salbutamol are available at significantly lower prices. So, even in retail local pharmacies, it is more than realistic to buy generic Ventolin at a price of $45-50. At the same time, this cost applies mainly to generics of Canadian and European production. Indian generics of Ventolin can be purchased for as little as $30, especially from online pharmacies. Buying medicines online in recent years has become much more profitable than finding cheaper medicines in conventional pharmacies.