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Beta2-agonists are bronchodilator medicines that open airways by relaxing the muscles in and around the airways that tighten during an asthma episode.
How Are They Prescribed
Beta2-agonists come in many forms. There are also many ways to take them.
Beta2-agonists can be:
- Inhaled using a metered dose inhaler
- Inhaled using a nebulizer
- A powderized capsule that is inhaled by using a device called a dry powder inhaler,
Swallowed as a liquid or tablet
- Taken as shots
Inhaled beta2-agonists stop symptoms of asthma episodes and prevent asthma symptoms that are started by exercise. They are sometimes used in small doses (no more than three to four times a day) to keep daily asthma symptoms under control.
Side Effects
Side effects include rapid heartbeat, tremors, feeling anxious, and nausea. These side effects tend to leave as the body adjusts to the medicine. Serious side effects are rare, but may include chest pain, fast or irregular heartbeat, severe headache or feeling dizzy, very bad nausea, or vomiting. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms.
Notes
Inhaled medicines are the first choice. 'They begin to work within 5 minutes and have fewer side effects. The medicine goes right to the lungs and does not easily go into the rest of the body.
Liquids or tablets begin to work within 30 minutes and last as long as 4 to 6 hours.
A child as young as 5 years of age can use the metered dose inhaler. A holding chamber or spacer device (a tube attached to the inhaler) can be attached to the inhaler to make it easier to use and can help even younger children use a metered dose inhaler.
Using a nebulizer to take the medicine works the same way as using an inhaler. A nebulizer is easier to use than an inhaler. It is good for a child under age 5, for a patient who has trouble using an inhaler, or for a patient with severe asthma episodes.
Shots are sometimes used in a doctor's office or an emergency room for severe episodes. They work very fast but only last 20 minutes.
Remember: Beta2-agonists relieve symptoms, but they cannot reduce or prevent the swelling that causes the symptoms. When you have to use a beta2-agonist a lot, it may be a sign that the swelling in your airways is getting worse. If you use a beta2-agonist to relieve symptoms every day or if you use it more than three or four times in a single day, your asthma may be getting much worse. You may need another kind of medicine, and you need to discuss this with your doctor right away.
(Text compiled by Virginia Thomas, CRNP)
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