Pirbuterol

If you suffer from bronchospasms due to asthma or COPD, your healthcare provider may prescribe pirbuterol. This medication can be used to help prevent asthma attacks or only during an attack to control asthma symptoms. Possible side effects include nausea, headaches, and nervousness. Factors that can affect the amount your healthcare provider prescribes are the severity of your condition and any other medications you may be taking.

What Is Pirbuterol?

Pirbuterol acetate (Maxair®) is a prescription medication that is used to prevent or treat bronchospasms. Bronchospasms are most common in people with asthma. However, they can also occur in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
 
Pirbuterol inhalers will not be made, dispensed, or sold in the United States in their current form after December 31, 2013. These inhalers contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), chemicals that deplete the ozone layer.
 
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set this final date for the medication in order to comply with the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer. The manufacturer is working on a reformulated, CFC-free version, although it is not yet clear when that product will be available.
 
(Click What Is Pirbuterol Used For? for more information, including possible off-label uses.)
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD
 
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