Ventolin Inhaler (Salbutamol)

Common side effects of Ventolin include:

• tremors or feeling shaky
• headaches
• heart beat changes

Uncommon side effects of Ventolin include:

• mouth irritation
• throat irritation
• muscle cramps

Rare side effects of Ventolin include:

• low potassium levels in your blood
• increased blood flow to your arms and legs

Let your doctor or another healthcare professional know about any side effects you experience. You can report side effects by using the Yellow Card Scheme online or through their app.

You should be aware of certain side effects when you take Ventolin. You may not experience all or any of these. However, contact a doctor immediately if:

• your breathing or wheezing gets worse immediately after using Ventolin
• you develop swelling of the face and neck
• you develop a rash
• you become light-headed, feel faint or collapse

Talk to your doctor as soon as possible if you feel your heart is beating:

• faster
• stronger
• unevenly
• with extra beats

Heartbeat changes or palpitations with Ventolin are usually harmless, but should be checked by a doctor if they do not go away on their own. Do not stop using Ventolin unless told to do so.

Ventolin works very quickly to open up your airways, usually in less than 5 minutes. This should make it easier for you to breathe right when you need it.

The salbutamol in the Ventolin inhaler works straight away on the muscles in your breathing pipe, and keeps them open so more air can get into your lungs.

Each Ventolin inhaler canister contains 200 puffs. If you use up to 6 puffs a week, which is the maximum for controlled asthma, your Ventolin inhaler should last more than 6 months.

To use a Ventolin inhaler safely, follow the instructions from your doctor or another healthcare professional, such as an asthma nurse.

If you’re an adult or over 12 years old, a safe number of puffs from a Ventolin inhaler is usually:

• 1 or 2 puffs for symptom relief
• Up to 10 puffs to help relieve an asthma attack
• 2 puffs around 10 to 15 minutes before exercise or coming into contact with a ‘trigger’ like pollen
• 2 puffs up to 4 times a day for regular asthma treatment or slight difficulty breathing

Speak to your doctor as soon as possible if you take more Ventolin than you should. Anyone using their Ventolin inhaler more than 3 times a week, or needing to wake up at night to take it, has uncontrolled asthma. They should see their doctor to review their management plan.

If you take too many puffs from a Ventolin inhaler, you may:

• have a fast heartbeat
• experience shakiness
• feel hyperactive

These effects will usually fade after a few hours.

Ventolin is not available over the counter so you need a prescription to get it. A doctor at ZAVA can approve your request for a Ventolin inhaler and we can deliver it the following day.

You can request a Ventolin inhaler through our online pharmacy here at ZAVA. Simply fill out a short questionnaire to get started. One of our doctors will review your answers and prescribe Ventolin (or your preferred treatment) if this is suitable. Your inhaler will be sent directly to your door or you can collect it from a nearby Post Office.

There are alternatives to Ventolin inhalers. The right asthma treatment for you will depend on how well you can control your asthma. Your doctor may advise you to keep track of your asthma, to identify your triggers and the symptoms you are having.

If your asthma is not getting better with your current treatment, you may need an additional or alternative asthma treatment. This may include other medicines, like inhaled corticosteroids, longer acting bronchodilators and other tablets (such as leukotriene receptor antagonists).

It may also be beneficial if you’re young or have hand problems to use add-on devices to your inhaler, such as a spacer. You can slot a spacer (an empty tube) onto the mouthpiece of the inhaler at one end. At the other end, a mouthpiece or mask is used to breathe in. The spacer has a valve that ensures the medicine is delivered into your airways when you breathe in and does not escape otherwise.

You can overdose on Ventolin if you take more than your doctor prescribes. So you should always take Ventolin as instructed by your doctor to avoid this happening. Go to your emergency department as soon as possible if you experience:

• chest pain
• fast heart beats
• nausea
• lightheadedness or fainting
• seizures
• feeling unwell

A Ventolin inhaler is not a steroid. It contains salbutamol, which belongs to a group of medicines called ‘fast-acting bronchodilators’. Salbutamol helps to widen the airways of the lungs so you can breathe better.

If you use a Ventolin inhaler without asthma, it may be because you have other health problems that affect your lungs. These other health problems include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or emphysema.

Using a Ventolin inhaler that has not been prescribed for you by a doctor can cause side effects, but these are temporary. You may get side effects such as a headache, feeling your heart beat fast or tremors (body shaking).