Asthalin 2 mg

When a clinician selects oral salbutamol for an appropriate patient its bronchodilator action supports the following effects.

• Relaxation of the muscles surrounding narrowed airways

• Improved airflow when symptoms are caused by bronchospasm

• Relief of breathing symptoms linked to reversible airway narrowing

These effects do not make the tablet the preferred asthma treatment. Current guidance advises against oral salbutamol because of its adverse effect risk. A convenient tablet format is not enough reason to choose it over recommended inhaled treatment.

Tell your clinician if you find an inhaler difficult to use. Ask for a technique check and advice about suitable devices. Difficulty with an inhaler should prompt practical support rather than a treatment change made without assessment.

Salbutamol stimulates beta 2 receptors in airway smooth muscle. This helps the muscle relax and allows narrowed air passages to widen. Air can then move through the lungs more easily.

An oral tablet is absorbed after swallowing and reaches the airways through the bloodstream. It also exposes other parts of the body to the medicine. This helps explain effects such as trembling and a faster heartbeat.

Salbutamol relieves airway tightening. It does not replace treatment for the airway inflammation that is central to asthma. Asthma management needs an appropriate plan that includes inflammation control. Continue prescribed controller treatment unless your clinician changes it.

Do not wait for a tablet to work when breathing becomes severely difficult. Follow your written asthma action plan and seek urgent help as directed.

Take Asthalin 2 mg only in the dose and schedule selected by your prescriber. The 2 mg strength is the amount in one tablet. It does not establish the number of tablets needed at each dose.

General immediate release oral salbutamol labels describe an adult starting dose of 2 mg to 4 mg three or four times daily. This is background information about oral salbutamol. It is not a recommendation to start Asthalin tablets or to replace inhaled asthma treatment. Follow the prescription and the leaflet supplied with the exact pack.

Children need a separate assessment and age appropriate instructions. Do not use the adult schedule for a child. Older adults and people sensitive to beta agonists also need individual dose selection.

Take the tablet by mouth with water. Follow the scheduled times provided by the prescriber. Ask a pharmacist before splitting or crushing it. Do not dissolve tablets for use in a nebuliser.

If you forget a scheduled dose then take it when remembered unless the next dose is nearly due. If it is nearly due then skip the missed dose. Do not take two doses together to compensate.

If you take more than prescribed then seek prompt medical advice. Bring the packaging and information about the amount taken. Chest pain or severe breathing difficulty requires emergency help. Do not increase the dose because symptoms have worsened.

Reported oral salbutamol side effects include trembling and nervousness. Headache and muscle cramps also occur. Some people experience nausea or difficulty sleeping. Not everyone develops side effects. Speak to a pharmacist or doctor if symptoms persist or bother you. Avoid driving while dizzy or otherwise unable to concentrate safely.

Seek urgent medical assessment for a fast or irregular heartbeat. Chest pain or fainting requires immediate attention. Salbutamol also lowers blood potassium in some circumstances. Marked muscle weakness or a disturbed heartbeat needs assessment. Get emergency help for severe breathing difficulty or swelling of the face or throat. If breathing worsens after a dose then obtain urgent medical advice before taking further tablets.

Do not take Asthalin if you have an allergy to salbutamol or another ingredient in the supplied tablet. The following situations require prescriber review before use.

• Heart disease or an irregular heartbeat

• High blood pressure

• An overactive thyroid

• Diabetes

• Low blood potassium

• A seizure disorder

• Pregnancy or breastfeeding

• Treatment with medicines that interact with salbutamol

These conditions need assessment rather than a single rule for every patient. The clinician decides whether treatment is appropriate and what monitoring is needed. Tell the prescriber about all relevant diagnoses.

Do not share tablets with someone who has similar symptoms. Their breathing problem needs its own assessment. Do not use this product as a substitute for urgent care during a severe asthma attack.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding require a review of the exact formulation and treatment plan. Do not stop prescribed asthma controller medicines yourself. Contact your clinician about keeping breathing well controlled.

Give your prescriber a complete list of medicines and supplements. Include inhalers and nebuliser treatments. The following groups need particular attention.

• Beta blockers such as propranolol

• Other beta agonists and stimulant medicines

• Diuretics that lower blood potassium

• Theophylline and related medicines

• Systemic corticosteroids

• Digoxin

• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors

• Tricyclic antidepressants

Beta blockers counteract salbutamol and some cause airway narrowing. Do not stop a prescribed heart medicine yourself. Ask the prescriber to check the combination.

Some antidepressants need attention even after treatment has stopped. Tell your prescriber if you have taken an MAO inhibitor or tricyclic antidepressant within the previous two weeks.

Do not add tablets to inhaled salbutamol without instructions. Your clinician needs to account for the total treatment exposure. Also mention nonprescription cold remedies before using them.

• Follow the storage temperature printed on the supplied pack

• Keep tablets in their original packaging

• Protect the medicine from excessive heat and moisture

• Keep it out of sight and reach of children

• Check the expiry date before use

• Do not use damaged packaging without asking a pharmacist

• Use a pharmacy medicine disposal service where available