Can you overuse albuterol

Constant exposure to the inhaler could lead to your lungs to become under-responsive to the medication, and your airways could become hypersensitive to common asthma triggers. Finally, overuse of an inhaler could lead to the user only treating the symptoms and the underlying reason behind the triggering effect could make the person sicker. Other studies have suggested that there is a correlation between overexposure to albuterol, the medication within the inhaler, and depression.

The overusers not only had more symptomatic days, but generally scored worse on the asthma control survey, the asthma symptom utility index, and the shortness of breath test. Additionally, overusers of albuterol had lower cognitive functioning than non-overusers. Asthma and its symptoms can cause serious distress for those who suffer from it. When asthma symptoms are actually resulting from another disorder, the patient may be harmed by overuse of an asthma inhaler and the disorder may not be treated in time.

If you or a loved one has suffered from the harmful effects of asthma misdiagnosis, it is important to consult with an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney. Please call the Law Office of Robert R.

Before taking albuterol, or any other prescription, you should tell your doctor about your medical conditions. This medication should be used with caution if you have heart disease, according to prescription information , which includes:. The American Heart Association lists albuterol as one of the drugs that may cause or exacerbate heart failure.

You should also discuss the following health conditions with your healthcare professional before taking albuterol:. Although rare, there have been reports of death in association with excessive use of inhalation asthma medications, according to the FDA.

The exact cause of these deaths is unknown; however, researchers suspect cardiac arrest and the resulting lack of oxygen to the body. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, you should tell your doctor. According to information from the manufacturer , there are no direct studies of albuterol in pregnant women but the risk to a fetus appears low.

The lack of oxygen caused by asthma might be more harmful to the fetus. A study published in Pediatrics found that using asthma medications did not increase the risk for most congenital disabilities. Albuterol was the most common medication used by people participating in the study.

There might, however, be an increased risk for congenital disabilities of the esophagus, anus, and abdominal wall. The possible effects on a baby when you are breastfeeding are also not known. Using a bronchodilator will probably not cause high enough levels in your breast milk to cause a problem, according to MothertoBaby.

However, you should speak with your doctor and proceed with caution, weighing the risks and benefits if you are pregnant, planning to be pregnant, or breastfeeding. Albuterol can cause interactions with other medications. Interactions vary depending on the drugs you are taking, but can include:. You should tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter, supplements, and vitamins. Prescriptions that could have dangerous drug interactions with albuterol include:.

The list of potential interactions is quite long, with over medications that might interact adversely with albuterol. Some of the drugs that could potentially interact with albuterol although not as seriously as the ones listed above include:.

You should also avoid cold medicine, including over-the-counter products; however, there are no known drug interactions with albuterol and cough medicine. If you are taking any of these medications, your doctor might need to adjust your dose or monitor you carefully for side effects. Overuse of albuterol is relatively common, according to a report published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

This medication is meant for occasional use when you have acute asthma symptoms. However, about a quarter of people prescribed albuterol use it as a daily asthma-control medication instead of as a rescue inhaler for quick relief. Many doctors suggest one inhaler canister should last approximately one year. If you are using your inhaler more often or if it only lasts a few months, it might indicate your asthma is not well-controlled, and you might want to speak with your doctor about a daily medication.

Overuse of albuterol can be dangerous and could have potential health consequences. You might notice you have asthma symptoms more often or the symptoms are worsening. People who overuse inhalers report more coughing, wheezing, nighttime awakenings, and more frequent symptoms than those who use albuterol only occasionally.

They also stated they had a lower quality of life and higher rates of depression. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Request Appointment. Albuterol side effects: Can I avoid them? Products and services.

I take albuterol to relieve asthma attacks. Is there a way to limit the side effects? Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Albuterol sulfate.

IBM Micromedex. Accessed Sept. Drug treatment of asthma. Merck Manual Professional Version. Lemanske RF. Beta agonists in asthma: Acute administration and prophylactic use. Global strategy for asthma management and prevention, Global Initiative for Asthma.