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Monday, the 29th of April in the year 2024, at 4:57:08am

"GOOD MEDICINE, YOU WANNA KNOW?"
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Medications

COMMON RESPIRATORY MEDICATIONS

Generic Name Brand Name How Supplied How They Work

BRONCHODILATORS

Albuterol Proventil® Ventolin® Metered Dose Inhaler (MDI) (17 gm = 200 puffs) 0.5% Solution (20ml dropper) 0.083% Solution (3ml) Dilates (widens) the bronchioles of the lung by relaxing the smooth muscle surrounding them. Prevents bronchospasm and/or contraction. Allows better air exchange. May assist in removing mucus and other debris that causes congestion in the lungs.

Bitolterol Mesylate Tornalate® MDI (17mg = 300 puffs) 0.2% Solution (30ml or 60ml dropper)

Isoetharine HCL Bronkosol® Bronchometer® MDI (15mg) 0.08% Solution (3ml) 0.17% Solution (3ml)

Metaproterenol Alupent® Metaprel® Arm-a-med® MDI (14 gm= 200 puffs) 5% Solution (30 ml dropper)

Pirbuterol Acetate Maxair MDI (26 gm = 300 puffs)

Salmeterol Xinafoate Serevent® (Warning: this is NOT a fast acting bronchodilator, please follow your doctors rx with this, slow acting, long term bronchodilator MDI (13 gm = 120 puffs)

Terbutaline Sulfate Brethaire® Brethine® Bricanyl® MDI (7.5 ml = 300 puffs) 1 mg/ml injectable (used as an inhaled solution)

Levalbuterol (R-albuterol) Xopenex 0.63 mg solution only. NO MDI as of writing

CORTICOSTEROID (Anti-Inflammatory)

Fluticasone propionate Flovent® MDI (44,110,or 220 mcgs)

Beclomethasone Dipropionate Beclovent® Vanceril® MDI (17 gm = 200 puffs) 44mcg per puff Vanceril has a double strength available Cortisol is a hormone that the body produces normally. Corticosteroids are of this family. They help decrease the inflammation or swelling of the bronchial lining. I am limiting this outline to inhaled medications only. The inhaled forms of corticosteroids are absorbed rather poorly by the blood, so there are fewer side-effects.

Budesonide Pulmicort Turbuhaler® MDI 160mcg per puff

Flunisolide AeroBid® AeroBid M® MDI (7 gm = 100 puffs) 250 mcg per puff

Triamcinolone Acetonide Azmacort® MDI (20 gm = 240 puffs) 110 mcg per puff

ANTICHOLERNERGIC

Ipratropium Bromide Atrovent® MDI (14 gm = 200 puffs) Antagonizes the action of acetylcholine in the body, impedes the impulses of some parasympathetic nerves, thus allowing dilation of the larger airways. Can dry up secretions.

MAST CELL INHIBITOR

Cromolyn Sodium Intal® MDI Antiasthmatic, antiallergic stabilizer of mast cells, produced by the body(connective tissue cells that contain histamine). Therefore, mast cell inhibitors may decrease the narrowing of the airways due to histamine reaction. This drug is used to PREVENT attacks and NOT for acute asthma reactions.

Nedocromil Sodium Tilade® Solution (1.75 mg/ dose)

MUCOLYTIC

Acetylcysteine Mucomyst® Mucosil® 10% Solution (4 & 10 ml) 20% Solution (4 & 10 ml) Decreases the thickness of mucous secretions.

The information contained here is for general information only, as a guide to understanding your own respiratory medications. It is important to understand that your "rescue" inhaler, the one you would use in an emergency, falls under the bronchodilator category (with the exception of salmeterol or Serevent. Always follow your doctors prescribing information, concerning all of your medications. I have included only those medications that are the most common, for inhalation to the lung. I have not included, oral medications, or those for your sinuses. Consult your doctor and/ or pharmacist for these. There are some new drugs out there that are in keeping with the effort to control CFC's (Flurocarbon's)in the atmosphere, namely, Serevent, and Advair, which is a combination of Serevent and Flovent, all in powdered form. However, these forms of powdered components may cause other complications as, excess coughing, dry throat, irritated phargeal tissue, et al. Oviously, we are a long way from perfecting the inhaled, pulmonary drugs that do NOT interfer with the atmosphere or cause undo side effects to us. Please be aware of what you are taking and report ANY side effects to your physician. T>

Last Updated on 06/07/2004
By Robert Penhallow, RCP, CRT, BS

Nurse Wilma reminds you it's spring, and in parts of this wonderful country, the weather is actually nice and sunny. Never the less, the sun WILL come for all soon, and SO will the pollens and new grasses and all those wonderful, airborne substances that make our sinuses go beserk!!! ALLERGIES!!!!!!!! I will talk about this in detail, soon, but until then, if you find yourself having a problem, wear a comfortable, cotton or the old "surgical" type mask when doing anything outdoors. The HEPA filter type masks are wonderful, BUT.... It's just that they tend to be incredibly claustrophobic for many. Even the form fitting, simple masks, that are available at hardware stores, etc, can be claustrophobic to some. It's worth the trouble to try and find the type of masks I mentioned. Again, I will have more on this, soon. Consult your doctor, if your allergies are driving you crazy!

Please don't smoke! If you do, please try and quit! DO IT for you and your loved ones, and a greater quality of life.

If you need help with this process, ask me for it! Support is comforting, whether or not you quit now. THE process of TRYING to quit is the KEY! Remember, I am a certified smoke facilitator and instructor. But please understand that YOU can DO NOTHING if you are not NOT committed to at least wanting to quit! There are NO magic bullets here! But there ARE techniques and aids! Come to me, and we will try to do it together! That is my commitment to you! Just leave me a message in my guestbook, and I will return a message to you, personally, or in my forum!

Don't go here!

Try these sites for smoking aids. After you go to these sites, hit your BACK button on your browser, to come back here!

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Don't forget that Pursed Lips Breathing, it does a body good!

For all those who have Medicare in California! Read the following!!!!

This is from the California Healthline, a news service of the Calif. Healthcare Foundation, in Oakland, CA. A new state law that allows more than 1.3 million Calif. Medicare beneficiaries to knock between 20 - 40% off their prescription drug costs is getting rave reviews. The law, which requires neither new paperwork nor new funds, allows Medicare recipients without drug coverage to purchase prescriptions at the same prices paid by Medi-Cal recipients. The legislation mandates that pharmacists give Medi-Cal prices - cost plus about 10% -to card carrying Medicare members who present valid prescriptions. State Sen. Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco), the bill's sponsor, says that the measure not only saves money, but may also save lives. As AARP legislative representative, Patrick Luby, put it, "A lot of people just throw the prescription away simply because they can't afford it, and obviously that has disastrous health consequences in some cases." Speier estimates that some seniors may save "$hold_dollar120 per month or more" under the new law, which has no restrictive drug formulary. For those of you living in other states, call or write your legislature, to see if there are any pending laws like the above, either enacted or pending. If not, you should encourage them to follow California's lead, here. You might also want to contact AARP (American Association for Retired People), in your area.

ALSO For Californian's: If it is difficult for you to get the trash barrels out to the curb and then back to the house, there IS a solution! If you are disabled, and there is no able bodied person living in your residence, who can handle the barrels, then give your local, city or county sanitation department a call. Ask them to send you an application to have the truck drivers bring your barrels down to the street, empty them, and then return them to your house! Again, other states may have this service available. Check your local sanitation department.

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