IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT VENTOLIN HFA

If your symptoms become significantly worse when you use VENTOLIN HFA, call your doctor immediately as this reaction can be life threatening. This worsening of symptoms frequently occurs with the first use of a new canister. Tell your doctor if you have a heart, blood, or seizure disorder, high blood pressure, diabetes, or an overactive thyroid. Some medicines can interfere with how well asthma medications work. Continued below.



Prescribing Information

Common Questions & Answers

What is VENTOLIN HFA with a dose counter?
VENTOLIN HFA is an albuterol inhaler that acts within minutes to help relieve bronchospasm and symptoms such as wheezing, chest tightness, coughing, or shortness of breath and lasts for 4 to 6 hours.

You need to use your albuterol for rescue from an asthma attack, but using albuterol too often is a sign of uncontrolled asthma.

VENTOLIN HFA is the first and only albuterol metered-dose inhaler with a built-in dose counter. The dose counter on VENTOLIN HFA will help you accurately track how much albuterol you are using so you may share this information with your healthcare professional.

VENTOLIN HFA does not contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). This means it can relieve your asthma symptoms without harming the earth's ozone layer the way CFCs do.
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What is the dosage of VENTOLIN HFA?
For treatment or prevention of sudden asthma symptoms, the usual dosage for adults and children 4 years of age and older is 2 puffs repeated every 4 to 6 hours; in some patients, 1 puff every 4 hours may be enough. You should not use VENTOLIN HFA more frequently than recommended or take a larger number of puffs than is recommended.

For exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB), the usual dosage for adults and children 4 years and older is 2 puffs 15 to 30 minutes before exercise.

Each actuation (spray) of VENTOLIN HFA provides 108 mcg albuterol sulfate (90 mcg albuterol base) from the mouthpiece. VENTOLIN HFA is supplied in an 18-g canister containing 200 actuations and an 8-g canister containing 60 actuations.
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What is unique about VENTOLIN HFA with a dose counter?
VENTOLIN HFA is the first and only albuterol metered-dose inhaler to have a built-in dose counter. The dose counter gives an accurate count of how many doses are remaining in the canister. Accurately tracking albuterol use — and regularly taking the Asthma Control Test™ and talking to your doctor about this information — can help assess the need to add or change long-term controller therapy.
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How does the dose counter work?
The tamper-resistant dose counter counts backwards every time the inhaler is used, showing the number of remaining puffs in the canister.
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What advantages does the dose counter offer?
As the first and only albuterol metered-dose inhaler with a dose counter, VENTOLIN HFA provides an accurate count of the doses remaining in the canister. Albuterol use is an important measure of asthma control according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). According to the NIH treatment guidelines, overreliance on rescue inhalers indicates that asthma is either not well controlled or is severe enough that there is a need to start or change long-term controller therapy. Patients should keep track of their albuterol use and discuss this with their healthcare professional.
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Who manufactures VENTOLIN HFA?
VENTOLIN HFA is manufactured and marketed by GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
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Is VENTOLIN HFA with a dose counter available?
VENTOLIN HFA 200-puff and 60-puff are both available with a dose counter.

Patients should check with their pharmacies to see if VENTOLIN HFA is in stock. If it is not, the pharmacy should be able to obtain it within a few days. There are several albuterol products without a built-in dose counter available to patients. Patients should consult with their healthcare professionals to determine the proper therapy.
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IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT VENTOLIN HFA

If your symptoms become significantly worse when you use VENTOLIN HFA, call your doctor immediately as this reaction can be life threatening. This worsening of symptoms frequently occurs with the first use of a new canister. Tell your doctor if you have a heart, blood, or seizure disorder, high blood pressure, diabetes, or an overactive thyroid. Some medicines can interfere with how well asthma medications work. Tell your doctor about all medicines you are taking, especially heart medicines and drugs that treat depression.

In clinical studies, the most common side effects (occurring in at least 3% of patients) were throat irritation (10%), viral respiratory infection (7%), upper respiratory inflammation (5%), cough (5%), and musculoskeletal pain (5%). The side effect profile in children was generally similar to that of adults.

Prescription VENTOLIN HFA is indicated for the prevention and relief of bronchospasm in patients 4 years of age and older with reversible obstructive airway disease.

Asthma Control Test is a trademark of QualityMetric Incorporated.