What It Is:
Xopenex, generic name levalbuterol, is a quick-relief asthma medicine used to relieve acute asthma symptoms. It is a type of medicine called a short-acting beta agonist that relaxes tight airways. This relieves symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.Xopenex is delivered via a metered dose inhaler or nebulizer. It can be used by adults and children age 4 and older to relieve asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease symptoms. In some ways, Xopenex might be thought of as a second generation, or newer, more advanced form of Albuterol.
How It Works:
Xopenex is a short-acting bronchodilator, which is a drug that rapidly relaxes the smooth muscles of your airways from your trachea all the way down to the smallest airways. It can also interfere with mast cells, which have to do with the inflammatory response associated with asthma. In addition, the makers of Xopenex claim that it is superior to Albuterol because it has a more specific, more targeted effect. However, this has not been consistently confirmed in clinical studies.Forms & Doses:
Xopenex comes in a metal canister that releases the drug by means of what is known as a metered dose inhaler (MDI). The MDI transforms the liquid levalbuterol into a fine mist that is then inhaled through the mouth into the lungs, sometimes by means of an additional device called a spacer.Each puff / inhalation of Xopenex contains 90 micrograms of medicine. The usual dose is 2 puffs as needed to relieve symptoms. This can be repeated every 4 to 6 hours. Each canister contains about 200 puffs.
Risks & Side Effects:
Xopenex is a safe medicine, when used as prescribed. Side effects associated with use of this inhaler include:- Palpitations
- Chest pain
- Rapid heart rate
- Tremor
- Nervousness
Most people find that side effects, if they even occur in the first place, go away over time. If yours are persistent or become bothersome, be sure to talk with your doctor about your options.
What You Need to Know:
A Xopenex inhaler should not be used to control asthma – it is only used for quick relief of acute symptoms that arise despite being on a controller medicine. Even people with mild asthma will benefit from being on some type of long-term preventive asthma medicine, such as an inhaled steroid. Xopenex should be used only if asthma symptoms worsen.If you use your Xopenex inhaler more than 2 times a week, it is a sign that your asthma may not be under control. If this is the case, you need to talk with your doctor about whether changes to your asthma treatment plan are needed.
Follow the instructions carefully for using your Xopenex MDI. You may want to review our step-by-step tutorial on how to use an MDI.
Xopenex can interact with other medications and cause unexpected negative effects. Be sure to mention to your doctor if you also take heart medicines (beta blockers), water pills (diuretics), epinenphrine (an over-the-counter inhaler), antidepressants, or any herbal preparations.
As with most MDIs, it is difficult to tell when the Xopenex inhaler is starting to run dry and is no longer dispensing the right dose of medicine. The only way to know for sure is to manually track the number of puffs you have used. Even though the canister may seem to contain medicine after 200 puffs have been used, there is no guarantee you will still get a full dose of Xopenex, so it should be discarded.When to Call Your Doctor:
Any time you do not have the expected effect from using your Xopenex inhaler, it's important to let your doctor know. This is true whether you are having a severe side effect or if the medicine does not seem to improve your asthma symptoms or stop an asthma attack.In addition, tell your doctor if you have any history of heart problems, including an irregular heart beat or high blood pressure, as taking Xopenex could make those problems worse.
If you'd like to learn more about Xopenex, including how it might interact with other medications you are taking, check out the Drugs A to Z page.
Sources:
Full Prescribing Information for Xopenex. 29 April 2008. <http://www.xopenex.com/xopenexProviders/XopenexMDI_PI.pdf>.
"Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma." NHLBI Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Asthma. 28 Aug 2007. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. 18 Dec. 2007. <http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.pdf>.
