Salbutamol: It’s Uses, Interactions, And Nurses’ Responsibilities

It is also known as albuterol, and it is marketed with the make Ventolin. It is classified as a bronchodilator. The bronchus in the lung may become narrowed, it opens the medium and large airways in the lungs. Dosage Salbutamol is both available in a gaseous form, which can be used with an inhaler or nebulizer. Ventolin nebules – 2.5mg. Ventolin inhaler – 100mcg Available in tablets – 4mg Uses It is used to treat bronchospasm, and it is effective in treating asthmatic allergy. – Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – Emphysema – It is also used in obstetrics, as a Beta 2 agonists, to relax the uterine smooth muscle to delay premature labor. Contraindications – Salbutamol is not recommended for breastfeeding mothers. – It is not to be taken during the first six months of pregnancy. – Not to administer to a woman at risk of miscarriage. Side effects The side effects include: – Fast heart rate – A headache – Anxiety – Dizziness – Dry mouth Side effects can become worse in some cases – Irregular heartbeats – Collapse – Hypotension – Tachycardia Interactions The duration for interaction is between 15 minutes to 6 hours. Interactions with alcohol are unknown. Although, interactions are different in individuals. Nurses’ responsibility – Ask your patient if she is not pregnant or lactating. – Record a baseline vital signs for comparison after drug administration – Monitor respiratory and pulse rate during nebulization – Assess the volume of the pulse, in the case of tachycardia – Health educate your patient on the effect of the drug – During nebulization, make your patient comfortable. – After nebulizing, teach your patient how to use the Ventolin inhaler during attacks at home – For asthmatic patients, health educate them on what asthma is all about, and how to prevent attacks. Happy New Week to you all. I hope you got value?