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Albuterol Sulfate
Albuterol sulfate is a medication often prescribed to treat (and sometimes prevent) airway spasms in people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. By causing muscles around the airways to relax and allow more air into and out of the lungs, the medication is effective in improving asthma symptoms. Possible side effects of albuterol sulfate include nausea, headaches, and dizziness.
Albuterol sulfate is a prescription medication used to treat airway spasms (called bronchospasms). Bronchospasms are most common in people with asthma, but can also occur in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Some forms are also approved to prevent exercise-induced asthma.
Albuterol-containing products come as one of two different forms of albuterol: albuterol or albuterol sulfate. There is really no important difference between these two active ingredients. In fact, albuterol sulfate is often just shortened to "albuterol."
Of the many different albuterol products, several of them contain albuterol sulfate. These products include:
- Albuterol syrup
- Albuterol tablets and long-acting tablets (VoSpire ER®)
- Albuterol solution products (for use in a nebulizer), including AccuNeb®
- Proventil HFA®
- Ventolin HFA®
- ProAir HFA®.
Other products, such as the older albuterol inhalers (including Proventil® or a generic albuterol inhaler) contain albuterol rather than albuterol sulfate.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD