Why use xopenex

Levalbuterol is sometimes used off-label for this indication as well. The following chart lists the most commonly known uses for these drugs.

Only your healthcare provider can determine if these drugs are appropriate for your condition. In cases of severe asthma and COPD bronchospasm, please seek treatment in the nearest emergency department. Levalbuterol and albuterol have been compared extensively with regard to asthma and COPD outcomes. A study evaluated adults who were hospitalized with asthma or COPD exacerbations who were treated with either levalbuterol or albuterol administered by nebulization.

The results of this clinical trial found that clinical outcomes were similar between the two drugs and both were effective at relieving the symptoms of bronchospasm. However, the cost of levalbuterol treatment was significantly more expensive than the cost of albuterol treatment, and patients in the levalbuterol group had a significantly longer hospitalization than patients in the albuterol group.

Longer hospital stays also increase the overall cost of interventions. A meta-analysis and systematic review of seven different trials, including over 1, patients, was done comparing levalbuterol to albuterol in acute asthma. This study found no significant difference between the drugs when comparing clinical outcomes such as respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and change in lung volume.

Lung volume is sometimes referred to as forced expiratory volume, or FEV1, in medical literature. This study concluded there was no evidence to support choosing levalbuterol over albuterol in the treatment of asthma. While both drugs are effective, prescribers may weigh the lack of evidence of the superiority of levalbuterol and the higher cost when deciding which medication to prescribe.

Levalbuterol is only approved in pediatric patients four years and older, therefore albuterol would be preferred in the younger pediatric population. Only your doctor can choose the correct medication for your condition.

Get a prescription coupon. Levalbuterol is a prescription drug that is typically covered by commercial insurance plans. It is also typically covered by commercial insurance plans. While levalbuterol and albuterol are moderately selective for beta receptors on the intended smooth muscle of the airways, there may still be some cardiac beta-receptor stimulation causing an increase in heart rate, known as tachycardia.

Both levalbuterol and albuterol may cause nervousness and tremor. Migraine and dizziness were noted with levalbuterol, but not albuterol. This is not intended to be a comprehensive list of potential adverse effects.

Please consult your healthcare provider for a complete list of side effects. Due to their chemical similarities, the potential drug interactions for levalbuterol and albuterol are very similar. Azithromycin, a very common antibiotic often used in upper respiratory infections, should be avoided in combination with either levalbuterol or albuterol when possible. Azithromycin, when administered with short-acting beta-agonists, has an increased risk of causing QT prolongation, a type of cardiac arrhythmia.

Using beta-blockers with either of these drugs can also make you more prone to having bronchospasm tightening of your airways that can make it hard for you to breathe. If you need to take a beta-blocker, your doctor will likely recommend that you use a drug other than Xopenex or Xopenex HFA. This can make digoxin less effective to treat your condition. In some cases, your doctor may recommend that you use a drug other than Xopenex or Xopenex HFA if you need to take digoxin. Examples of these antidepressant medications include:.

These side effects can include fast heart rate, palpitations feeling fluttering with your heartbeat , or changes in your blood pressure.

However, you should still check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any of these products while taking Xopenex. Sometimes severe, life-threatening side effects can occur with overuse or misuse of these drugs.

You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at or use their online tool. But if your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away. Studies are currently being done to better understand if these drugs have an effect on pregnant women or on their developing fetuses. The doses of these drugs given in the studies were higher than typical doses given to humans.

No negative effects were seen in fetuses exposed to either drug. More studies are needed to know if these drugs affect human pregnancies. They can discuss with you the risks and benefits of different treatment options. Your doctor can recommend healthy and safe ways to feed your child. Your insurance plan may require you to get prior authorization before they approve coverage for Xopenex.

This means that your doctor will need to send a request to your insurance company asking them to cover the drug. The insurance company will review the request and let you and your doctor know if your plan will cover Xopenex. If you need financial support to pay for Xopenex HFA, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available. Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.

For more information, call Xopenex and Xopenex HFA are each used as needed to treat and prevent bronchospasm caused by certain breathing conditions.

With bronchospasm, your airways becomes tight and narrow, which makes it hard for you to breathe. It generally takes about 5 to 15 minutes for each treatment.

Instructions for how to use your nebulizer will be specific to your machine. Children or older adults who are taking Xopenex may need help to set up and use their nebulizer. With an MDI, the drug is released in puffs, which are inhaled.

For some people, using an MDI is more difficult than using a nebulizer. Xopenex and Xopenex HFA are short-acting beta-agonists beta agonists. Examples of reversible obstructive airway disease include conditions such as asthma and certain other breathing problems that are related to allergies.

Xopenex and Xopenex HFA work by quickly relaxing the muscles in your airways, which makes it easier for you to breathe. After taking each dose of Xopenex or Xopenex HFA, your breathing symptoms should be noticeably improved within about 15 minutes. Xopenex and Xopenex HFA are considered rescue medications because they work quickly to treat symptoms when they occur.

Xopenex may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health. These include:. When you get Xopenex from the pharmacy, the pharmacist will add an expiration date to the label on the container. The expiration date helps guarantee the effectiveness of the medication during this time. If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, talk to your pharmacist about whether you might still be able to use it.

How long a medication remains good can depend on many factors, including how and where you store the medication. Vials of Xopenex liquid solution come in a foil pouch. Canisters of Xopenex HFA aerosol spray come in a box.

Do not puncture or burn canisters of Xopenex HFA. Also, avoid storing them near heat. This helps prevent others, including children and pets, from taking the drug by accident. It also helps keep the drug from harming the environment. The FDA website provides several useful tips on medication disposal. You can also ask your pharmacist for information on how to dispose of your medication. Canisters containing Xopenex HFA should never be disposed of in a fire or incinerator.

The medication inside the canisters is stored under pressure. If heated, the canisters may burst open. Xopenex and Xopenex HFA are beta2 adrenergic-agonists, which activate receptors on the smooth muscle tissue of airways.

This in turn activates adenylate cyclase to increase concentrations of cyclic adenosine monophosphate AMP. Increased concentrations of cyclic AMP activates protein kinase A, which interferes with the phosphorylation of myosin and decreases calcium concentrations in smooth muscle cells. This leads to relaxation in the muscles and provides relief of bronchospasm symptoms.

Xopenex and Xopenex HFA relax the airways from the trachea down to the terminal bronchioles. Because beta2-adrenergic receptors are also present in the heart, Xopenex may cause heart-related side effects.

Xopenex and Xopenex HFA are metabolized in the gastrointestinal tract via sulfotransferase SULT1A3 and are eliminated primarily in the urine as unchanged drug and metabolite. The elimination half-life of Xopenex is estimated to be 3 to 4 hours. Xopenex and Xopenex HFA are contraindicated in people with a previous hypersensitivity reaction to levalbuterol or albuterol.

Several different precautions exist. Vials containing Xopenex liquid solution are supplied in a foil pouch. Once a foil pouch is opened, the vials must be used within 2 weeks. If vials are removed from the pouch, they must be protected from light and used within 1 week.

Canisters containing Xopenex HFA aerosol spray are supplied in a box. The actuator mouthpiece should be facing down when stored. Do not puncture, burn, or store canisters near heat. Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional.

You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects.

The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD support groups can give people a place to talk, share resources, and make friends.

Learn more. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD refers to a group of conditions that affect the airways.

Symptoms include difficulty breathing and a…. COPD is an umbrella term covering a number of serious lung conditions, including emphysema.

Find out more about the causes, symptoms, and how to…. FEV1 is a measurement doctors use to stage and diagnose lung conditions. It measures the amount of breath a person can exhale in 1 second. The symptoms of end stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD include frequent lung infections, difficulty eating, and shortness of breath….

Xopenex levalbuterol. What is Xopenex? Xopenex is available in two forms, which are described below. Xopenex vs. Xopenex generic. Xopenex dosage. The Xopenex dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on several factors. What was the outcome? There was no difference between these agents in any effectiveness outcomes, including asthma scores, FEV 1 measures, number of nebulizations required, respiratory rates, pulse oximetry readings, length of emergency department care, or hospitalization rates Table 1.

Levalbuterol has been promoted to have fewer side effects than albuterol. But were fewer side effects noted with this agent? Absolutely not Table 1. Bob : While there are a couple of minor limitations to this study, I believe it does get to the right answer.

Albuterol is composed of equal parts of a racemic mixture of R- and S-enantiomers; levalbuterol is composed of only the active R-enantiomer. Both agents contain an active ingredient, so there is no good reason why one should outperform the other. Some have postulated that the inactive S-enantiomer in albuterol may result in unwanted effects; however, this study debunks that theory. Andrea : One limitation of this study is that most of the participants had moderate asthma, raising the question about whether the results would be similar in children with severe asthma.

And because of the low hospitalization rate 13 percent , firm conclusions regarding this end point cannot be drawn. Another limitation is the relatively small sample size, making it possible that, if there was a clinically meaningful difference, there were too few study participants for it to be statistically significant.

But I agree with Bob; these are similar drugs and there is no reason why one would outperform the other. Many previous studies suggest that this is the case. Part of this spin is a result of which studies actually get published. Companies are not knocking down doors to have negative studies published about their drugs. This is called publication bias. Studies are more likely to get submitted for publication if they show a company's drug in a good light.

However, if you look at all of the studies submitted to the FDA which I did , levalbuterol turns out to be no better than albuterol e. In fact, plain old albuterol had a superior side effect profile in a number of the studies. This trend of developing drugs that are simply an isomer of an existing drug is likely to boom as manufacturers attempt to replace drugs with expiring patents; it's all about market share.

Just look at esomeprazole Nexium and omeprazole Prilosec. Bob : With regard to market share, the makers of Xopenex Sepracor Inc. Currently, most of the 52 million annual prescriptions for albuterol are for metered-dose inhalers that contain chlorofluorocarbon CFC propellants.

Because of the detrimental effects that CFC has on ozone levels, metered-dose inhalers containing CFC will be not be sold in the United States after Mark : Samples are given to physicians for one reason—marketing. Levalbuterol is also known to act on the sympathetic nervous system and may affect glucose tolerance and thyroid function. To avoid drug-related complications, people with diabetes, thyroid disease, or cardiovascular disorders should have their condition routinely monitored.

Any increases in the frequency or severity of symptoms may warrant a dose adjustment or change of treatment. Be sure to speak with your healthcare provider about the risks vs. Use appears to be safe for mother and child during pregnancy, but it's important that you get personal advice from a healthcare provider. It is unknown if Xopenex is passed through breast milk.

There are two forms of Xopenex: Xopenex HFA, the aerosolized form of levalbuterol, and Xopenex solution, the nebulized form. Xopenex HFA is approved for adults and children 4 and over. It is available in a gram g canister with doses or an 8. The recommend dose is the same for adults and children :. Xopenex solution is approved for adults and children 6 and over. It is available in three premixed strengths: 0. There is also a 1. The recommended dosage varies by age:.

As a general rule, the lowest possible dose able to improve breathing restriction should be used. If Xopenex is unable to provide relief at the prescribed dose, let your healthcare provider know before making a dose adjustment. Never exceed the maximum recommended daily dosage. If Xopenex fails to provide relief at this dose, other medications will likely be needed to sustain long-term control of your asthma or COPD symptoms.

Because of its convenience and simpler dosing schedule, Xopenex HFA is often the preferred choice for first-time users. On the other, nebulizers are easier to use with younger children and allow for accurate dosing for people with severe COPD or asthma. Speak with your healthcare provider about the benefits and drawbacks of each. Both can be stored at room temperature, ideally between 68 degrees F and 77 degrees F.

Do not store in direct sunlight or use after the expiration date. Keep out of reach of children. Using Nebulized Xopenex Solution. Never mix another inhaled medication with Xopenex nebulized solution unless your healthcare provider tells you to. Xopenex is considered safe for long-term use with few intolerable side effects.

The risk of side effects is dose-dependent, meaning that it increases in tandem with the dose or the frequency of dosing. Most of these side effects are mild and tend to resolve without treatment within an hour or so. Many will resolve fully as your body adapts to the medication.

There are few severe side effects associated with Xopenex. Of these, some are potentially life-threatening and require immediate medical attention.

One such condition is known as paradoxical bronchospasm in which an inhaled beta-agonist causes an unexpected worsening of symptoms. While the cause is poorly understood, paradoxical bronchospasm often occurs with the first use of a new canister or vial.