Clinical Reference Systems: Pediatric Advisor 10.0
Bronchodilator, Inhaled
What are other names for this medication?
Some trade names for this medication are Proventil,
Ventolin, and Maxair. Serevent is a long-acting form.
What does this drug do?
This drug relaxes the muscles of the airways. It prevents
and relieves bronchospasm, including exercise-induced
bronchospasm (EIB), in children with asthma. Serevent is a
long-acting bronchodilator and takes 20 minutes for onset of
action.
How is it taken?
This medication may be taken as a fine spray (nebulized) or
from a metered-dose inhaler (MDI).
What is the usual dose?
The most common nebulizer dose is 1.25 to 2.5 mg (0.25 to
0.5 ml) mixed with 2 ml of water or saline.
The most common dose from a short-acting metered-dose
inhaler is two puffs, which should be repeated no more often
than every 4 hours with approval from your child's
physician. The common dosage of Serevent is two puffs every
12 hours.
A dose of short-acting bronchodilators, such as Ventolin and
Proventil, may be taken 5 to 15 minutes before exercise.
If you are taking Serevent, you may take a dose of it 30 to
60 minutes before you start exercising, but then do not take
another dose for at least 12 hours.
What side effects can this drug cause?
The most common side effects are tremors or shakiness,
feelings of nervousness, and a brief period of feeling the
heart beat rapidly.
What special instructions should be followed?
Do not increase the number of treatments to greater than
________ within a 24-hour period without checking with your
doctor. A need for treatments more often than this or
continuing symptoms that are not completely relieved by
treatment indicate worsening of acute asthma. If this
happens, call your doctor.
Serevent should NOT be used to treat acute symptoms or
symptoms that occur between twice-a-day dosing. Other
inhaled bronchodilators should be used for acute episodes of
wheezing and or cough.
Your prescribed dose of inhaled _____________________ is
_______ ml mixed with ______________ and given by nebulizer
____ times a day, or ______ puffs of _______________ taken
from a metered-dose inhaler ____ times a day.
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