Asthalin (salbutamol) is a generic equivalent of an inhaler containing salbutamol, more commonly known as albuterol in some areas. A beta-2 agonist and a bronchodilator, Asthalin is used to help manage asthma, COPD, and a few other conditions.

Each Asthalin inhaler contains 200 doses; each dose administers 100 mcg salbutamol (albuterol), which is the standard dose for inhaled salbutamol across all brands of inhaler. Asthalin inhalers deliver the medication in aerosol, rather than powder, though they do utilize HFA propellent, which a few users don't react well to. If disinclined to use HFA inhalers or powders, users may want to investigate nebulizer solution.

Asthalin can be used in patients age 4 and up, though very young patients may require modified dosing.

An Effective Rescue Treatment

Asthalin, like all aerosol salbutamol inhalers, is typically used as a rescue inhaler. This means it eases an asthma or COPD attack in progress, reducing the inflammation and easing the constriction of the airways very quickly, usually in 30 seconds to 5 minutes.

Ideally patients should:

• Adults should administer 1 to 2 puffs as-needed every 4 to 6 hours.
• Children age 4 and up should also take 1 or 2 puffs as-needed, but parents should try to keep it down to 1 puff every 4 to 6 hours if possible in young children.
• At least one minute should pass between inhalations if administering 2 puffs at once.
• Both children and adults should avoid taking more than 12 puffs in 24 hours.

In practice, users often use the inhalers more often when COPD or asthma is acting up:

• 4 to 8 puffs every 20 minutes for the first 4 hours.
• 4 to 8 puffs every 1 to 4 hours after the first 4 hours.
• Again, staying on the low end of dosage is preferable in young children.

When other medical attention is not available excessive use of Asthalin is preferable to not breathing, but patients should be aware of symptoms of salbutamol overdose:

• Tremor/shaking
• Excessive sweating
• Severe dizziness
• Chest pain
• Throat/jaw pain
• Rapid or erratic heartbeat

If the above are experienced use of Asthalin should be stopped and emergency medical attention sought.

A few patients experience paradoxical bronchospasm when using Asthalin or any inhaler. While it usually happens within the first few uses, it can happen even if the inhaler has been used for years without issue. In paradoxical bronchospasm breathing becomes very difficult very quickly, and is a medical emergency. Further inhaler use should be avoided if this happens.

Other patients simply don't get much benefit from Asthalin or other salbutamol inhalers. These patients may want to give nebulized solutions a try instead, and if that doesn't work speak with a doctor about alternatives.

Asthalin & Other Medications

Other breathing treatments, usually an inhaled steroid, are often given along with Asthalin or other salbutamol inhalers. Inhaled steroids (and the occasional non-steroidal maintenance inhaler) are not used as rescue treatments; they're usually taken 2 or 3 times per day regardless of symptoms. If these are prescribed patients should give them a try, as they work excellent for many users, but keep in mind there are always exceptions and a few patients find no benefit or react poorly to them. If they don't work well, there's no benefit in continuing to take (and pay for) them.

Patients also develop tolerance to salbutamol, meaning the medication no longer works as well unless used in increasingly higher doses, but for the vast majority of users this process is so slow as to be not noticeable. Inhaled steroids reduce tolerance effects to some degree. Patients who think tolerance is reducing effectiveness may also want to try salbutamol in other formulations, such as powder, nebulizer solutions, or tablets, though admittedly tablets are a poor choice for a rescue treatment.

As the medication in Asthalin is delivered directly to the lungs it is quite unlikely to interact with other medications, though patients should be careful to avoid using other salbutamol products (including tablets) and should double-check with a doctor or pharmacist before using other inhaled products.