Combivent Uses

Combivent uses primarily include treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Healthcare providers may also prescribe the drug in an "off-label" fashion for the treatment of asthma symptoms. It is a combination of two medications that work in different ways to open up the airways, allowing more air into and out of the lungs. At this time, there are no Combivent uses in children.

 

Combivent Uses: An Overview

Combivent® (ipratropium and albuterol inhaler) is a prescription medication used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Combivent contains two medications that work in two different ways to keep the airways open.
 

What Is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease in which the lungs are damaged, leading to breathing problems. In people who have COPD, the airways (the tubes that carry air into and out of the lungs) are partly obstructed, making it difficult to breathe. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are two kinds of COPD. While smoking is the most common cause, there are other possible causes of COPD. Common COPD symptoms may include:
 
  • Wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe)
  • Sputum (mucus) production
  • Coughing
  • Shortness of breath, especially with exercise
  • Chest tightness.
     
Depending on the severity of your COPD, your healthcare provider may recommend a number of medications as part of your COPD treatment, including:
 
  • Bronchodilators
  • Steroids (such as inhaled steroids)
  • A yearly flu shot
  • Pneumococcal vaccine.
     
Lifestyle changes are also recommended (see Living With COPD and COPD Rehabilitation). Combivent is a bronchodilator, which means that it helps to open up the airways. The medication is approved for use in people who have already tried one of the components of Combivent (ipratropium or albuterol) and continue to have breathing problems.
 
(Combivent Uses Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;