Anyone with asthma, emphysema, bronchitis or some other types of lung disease may be prescribed Salbutamol by their doctor to treat bronchospasms. This medication is inhaled through the lungs and it opens up the bronchial pathways. It can stop wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath by improving and increasing airflow.
With those benefits, however, come some potential side effects. While not every side effect is a serious one, you should pay attention to all side effects that you may experience. Let your doctor know about them, even if they seem minor. This will allow your doctor to evaluate how well your body is adapting to the drug and it will give him the tools he needs to make a proper assessment of whether the medication is working for you the way it should.
Common Side Effects
The most common side effects reported for this drug are tremors, hypersensitivity (to light, usually) and tachycardia (a heart rate that is abnormally high). The tremors can appear in any limb and particularly in the hands. Tremors can make it difficult to do everyday tasks, and you may need to take a break from whatever you are doing until the tremors subside. If you know that tremors may occur when you take Salbutamol, then you should not drive a vehicle or operate heavy machinery until your tremors subside. Most of the time, these are relatively minor side effects and will go away after a short while or lessen over time as your body gets used to the drug. If your side effects become severe or persist for several days, then you should let your doctor know.
Rare Side Effects
While these effects may not be as common, you still need to know about them and be prepared to take action should they appear:
- Swelling in the throat or the mouth
- Rashes on the skin
- Redness on the skin
- Swelling on the hands or genitals
- Trouble swallowing
- Confusion
- Blurred vision
- Agitation
- Pain
Most of these are considered to be major side effects, and they are potentially very dangerous. Some of them, such as having trouble breathing, breaking out in rashes and experiencing swelling are potential allergic reactions. If these occur, you need to seek medical help right away to treat the problem.
Other side effects may occur that are not listed here. These may or may not be serious, but you should still let your doctor know about them. If they seem severe to you, then you should get medical help right away.
If you have any medical conditions or you take a medication, then the potential for side effects is not only increased, the severity of those side effects may increase as well. You should always let your doctor know which medications you are taking and which medical conditions you are being treated for or suffering from. This will help your doctor make an accurate assessment as to whether or not the drug Salbutamol is right for you.
