******************************************************

What Are Bronchodilators? American Thoracic Society:"Bronchodilators are medications that relax the bronchial muscles. Relaxing these muscles makes the airways larger, allowing air to pass through the lungs easier. This helps people with COPD breathe better. Many different kinds of bronchodilators are available. They can be grouped according to how long they work (called short- and long-acting drugs) or the way in which they widen or dilate the airways (beta-agonists, anticholinergics or theophyllines). While all bronchodilators widen the airways, they work in different ways to do so. It is therefore possible to combine bronchodilators in order to achieve maximal benefit. Many people with COPD experience constant breathing difficulty. Bronchodilators therefore need to be taken regularly to keep breathing under control, this is called maintenance medication. Conversely, reliever medications are used for temporary breathless."
American Thoracic Society
61 Broadway · New York, NY 10006-2755
Voice: 212-315-8600 · Fax: 212-315-6498
http://www.thoracic.org/clinical/copd-guidelines/for-patients/what-kind-of-medications-are-there-for-copd/what-are-bronchodilators.php

******************************************************

Treating Asthma With Bronchodilators , Beta 2-agonists, Cleveland Clinic Department of Patient Education and Health Information:"Beta 2-agonists - Short-acting inhaled forms include: Albuterol (Proventil® HFA, Ventolin® HFA, Accuneb®, ProAir®) Metaproterenol (Alupent®) Levalbuterol (Xoponex® HFA, Xoponex® nebulizer solution) Pirbuterol (Maxair®) Albuterol and ipatropium bromide combination (Combivent® metered dose inhaler; DuoNeb®) Short-acting beta 2-agonists are also called "quick acting" or "rescue" medicines because they relieve asthma symptoms very quickly by opening the airways. These inhalers are the best for treating sudden and severe or new asthma symptoms. They work within 20 minutes and last four to six hours. They are also the medicines to use 15 to 20 minutes before exercise to prevent exercise-induced asthma symptoms."
The Cleveland Clinic Department of Patient Education and Health Information
9500 Euclid Ave. NA31 Cleveland, OH 44195
216/444-3771 or 800/223-2273 ext.43771
healthl@ccf.org
http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/3500/3528.asp?index=11789

******************************************************

Bronchodilators for bronchiolitis, Gadomski AM, Bhasale AL, Cochrane Reviews:"Bronchodilators produce short-term improvements in infants with bronchiolitis but more research is needed Bronchiolitis is an acute, highly infectious lower respiratory tract (chest) infection that is common in infants. It causes the small airways in the lungs to become inflamed, blocking the free passage of air so that the infant becomes breathless, wheezy and short of oxygen. Bronchodilators are drugs often used as aerosols to widen the air passages by relaxing the bronchial muscle. They are effective in helping infants and adults with asthma. However unlike asthmatics, infants with bronchiolitis are usually wheezing for the first time and wheezing for a different reason, that is to say, because their airways are obstructed as opposed to bronchoconstricted. Therefore, infants with bronchiolitis may be less likely to respond to bronchodilators."
US Cochrane Center
Kay Dickersin
Center for Clinical Trials
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
615 N. Wolfe Street
Mail RM W5010
Baltimore Maryland 21205
USA
Phone: +1 410-502-4640
Fax: +1 410-502-4623
Email: uscc@jhsph.edu
http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab001266.html

******************************************************

Bronchodilators, Precautions, Healthline:"Bronchodilators come with patient instructions. Be sure to carefully read them before using the medicine. If there is any confusion about how to use the medicine, check with the physician or pharmacist. Always use these medicines exactly as directed. Taking larger than recommended doses or using the medicine too often can lead to serious side effects and even death. If symptoms do not improve or if they get worse after using a bronchodilator, call a physician right away. Although some bronchodilators are available without a physician's prescription, these medicines should not be used unless a physician has diagnosed the patient's condition as asthma."
http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/bronchodilators

******************************************************

Bronchodilators, National Jewish Medical and Research Center:"Bronchodilators help open the airways in the lungs by relaxing smooth muscle around the airways. There are three types of bronchodilators: beta-agonists, anticholinergics, and theophyllines. Combination medications contain more than one type of medicine and are sometimes more beneficial than either medicine used alone. Beta-agonists Anticholinergics Theophylline"
National Jewish Medical and Research Center
1400 Jackson Street
Denver, CO 80206
Contact our LUNG LINE directly at 1-800-222-LUNG (5864)
http://www.nationaljewish.org/disease-info/diseases/copd/mgmt/med-therapy/bronchodilators/index.aspx

******************************************************

What are Bronchodilators? Purdue Pharma:"Bronchodilators are drugs used in treatment of COPD (chronic obstructive airway disease) and reversible obstructive airway diseases such as asthma. Purdue Pharma currently has two bronchodilator products: Uniphyl and PhylloContin. Once-daily Uniphyl tablets are a sustained release formulation of theophylline used to treat symptoms of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Theophylline eases the cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, and troubled breathing associated with these conditions by relaxing and opening the bronchial tubes allowing increased amounts of air to flow into the lungs. PhylloContin tablets contain aminophylline, which is used to treat symptoms of asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It relaxes and opens air passages in the lungs, making it easier to breathe."
Purdue Pharma
575 Granite Court
Pickering, ON
Canada L1W 3W8
Tel: 905-420-6400
1-800-387-5349
General information: info@purdue.ca
http://www.purdue.ca/products/products_asthma.asp

******************************************************

Bronchodilator Medicines, University of Virginia Health System:"Bronchodilators are probably the most commonly used medicines for asthma. They work by relaxing the muscles around the airways during an asthma attack. There are many different bronchodilator medicines. Some common ones are: albuterol Alupent Atrovent Brethine ipatroprium metaproteronol Metaprel Proventil salbutamol terbutaline theophylline Theodur Ventolin."
Pediatrics
University of Virginia Health System
PO Box 800386
Charlottesville, VA 22908
434-924-9130
http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/Internet/pediatrics/patients/tutorials/asthma/bdilate.cfm

******************************************************

Bronchodilators: Relieving Asthma Symptoms, Asthma Guide, WebMD:"One type of medication is used by almost all people with asthma: a bronchodilator. Short-acting bronchodilators are used only as needed as asthma "rescue" medications, while long-acting bronchodilators are used every day to control asthma. Bronchodilators open up the bronchial tubes so that more air can move through. Bronchodilators also help clear mucus from the lungs. As the airways open, the mucus moves more freely and can be coughed out (expelled) more easily."
http://www.webmd.com/asthma/guide/asthma_inhalers_bronchodilators

******************************************************

Bronchodilators, Wikipedia.org:"A bronchodilator is a substance that dilates the bronchi and bronchioles, increasing airflow. Bronchodilators may be endogenous (originating naturally within the body), or they may be medications administered for the treatment of breathing difficulties. Bronchial asthma is the most common application of these drugs. They are also intended to help improve the breathing capacity of patients with emphysema, pneumonia and bronchitis. Bronchodilators belong to a group of pharmaceutics called ß2 mimetics, which act on ß2 receptors in bronchial smooth muscle and bronchial mucous membranes. Bronchodilators, in particular non-prescription ones, are often misused as stimulants. A common side-effect of these medications is desensitization, which may produce refractory bronchospasm. Bronchodilators are either short-acting or long-acting. Short-acting medications provide quick or "rescue" relief from acute bronchoconstriction. Long-acting bronchodilators help to control and prevent symptoms. The three types of prescription bronchodilating drugs are ß2-agonists (short- and long-acting), anticholinergics (short-acting), and theophylline (long-acting)."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronchodilator

******************************************************

******************************************************
******************************************************

******************************************************

If your website is not listed here, we encourage you to submit it: Add Your Website/URL.

See also:

Nursing Topics, A to Z:

---

Nursing Degrees, LPN-RN, RN-BSN, RN-MSN, Online/Offline College, University and more!:"Higher income. Career mobility. Now, no matter where you live or what your schedule, you can earn your Associate or Bachelor Degree to take your professional life to the next level — without putting the rest of your life on hold!"

If you do any Browsing or Windowshopping online, please visit our online Mall:
http://www.nursefriendly.com/shopping/

Gifts For Nurses:
http://www.nursefriendly.com/gifts/

4nursinguniforms.com:"Choose from Top Nursing Uniform Companies. All sizes, styles and popular name brands available. Large selection of accessories as well: Accessories Blood Pressure Cuffs, Sphygnomanometers Nursing Tote Bags, Carry-Ons, Medical Bags Clinical, Medical Supplies, Nurses Discount Outlet: Angels, Books, Clothing , Equipment, Figurines, Holidays, Home Decor, Jewelry, Nurses, Office Decor, Scrubs, Shoes, T-Shirts Footwear, Shoes, Sandals, Discount, Bargains Gifts For Nurses (Nurses Week) Hosiery, Socks, Stockings Hats, Jackets, Jumpers Jewelry, Earrings, Necklaces, Watches Luxury Spas, Facials, Manicures, Pedicures Perfumes, Fragrances, Phermones Shoes, Boots, Sandals, Footwear, High Heels, Slippers Stethescopes, Nurse Kits, Replacement Parts Swimwear (Tan-Through) Women's Lingerie "
4nursinguniforms.com

******************************************************

Nursing Chat, Nurse Discussion Forums:
http://nursingdiscussions.com

******************************************************

The Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or Internet Street Address of this page is
http://www.prescriptionforviagra.com/respiratory.pulmonary.lungs.bronchodilators.htm

Send comments and mail to Andrew Lopez, RN

Last updated by Andrew Lopez, RN on Thursday, January 28, 2010