Ipratropium

1 medicine

Ipratropium is an anticholinergic bronchodilator inhaled to relieve wheezing and breathlessness in asthma and COPD. Keep the spray or mist away from your eyes, since contact can trigger a sudden painful rise in eye pressure.

Combivent

Ipratropium, Salbutamol

50/20mcg

Combivent is a asthma respiratory medication containing Ipratropium + Salbutamol, available as 50/20mcg inhalers.

from $22.10 / inhaler View

Key facts

  • Ipratropium (the ingredient in Atrovent and the combination inhaler Combivent) is an anticholinergic bronchodilator. It blocks nerve signals that tighten the muscles around your airways, so they relax and widen.
  • It comes as an inhaler or nebuliser solution for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Relief starts within about 15 minutes and lasts 4 to 6 hours, so it is taken regularly through the day rather than as a single rescue dose.
  • Keep the spray or nebulised mist away from your eyes. Contact with the eyes can trigger acute angle-closure glaucoma, a sudden painful rise in eye pressure that needs emergency treatment.
  • Seek urgent care for a sudden worsening of breathing, a fast or irregular heartbeat, or facial swelling after using it.

What ipratropium treats

Ipratropium treats the wheezing, breathlessness and cough of asthma and COPD by relaxing tightened airway muscle. In COPD it is often used regularly to keep airways open; in asthma it is more often added alongside a beta-agonist inhaler during flare-ups. It is also given by nebuliser for acute bronchospasm in hospital and emergency settings. It does not treat infections, and it is not fast enough to stop a severe attack already in progress.

How ipratropium works

Airway muscle tightens when a nerve chemical called acetylcholine binds to muscarinic receptors on the muscle. Ipratropium blocks those receptors, so the tightening signal cannot get through and the muscle relaxes. Because it works on a different pathway to beta-agonist inhalers, it is often combined with one for a stronger effect.

Before you take it

  • Tell your prescriber if you have glaucoma, an enlarged prostate, or difficulty passing urine; ipratropium's anticholinergic effect can worsen these conditions.
  • Some inhaler formulations contain soya lecithin: avoid them if you have a soya or peanut allergy.
  • Mention any heart rhythm problems, since ipratropium can occasionally provoke a fast heartbeat.
  • If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, discuss use with your prescriber first.

Side effects

Common effects include dry mouth, cough, throat irritation, hoarseness and headache.

Stop and seek urgent medical care for any of these:

  • Sudden worsening of breathing or wheeze after a dose.
  • Eye pain, blurred vision, or seeing haloes around lights.
  • A fast, irregular or pounding heartbeat.
  • Swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or difficulty swallowing.

Safety essentials

  • Never let the spray or mist reach your eyes. If it does and you develop eye pain, redness or blurred vision, get emergency care, since untreated angle-closure glaucoma can permanently damage sight.
  • Use a mouthpiece rather than a face mask with nebulised ipratropium where possible, to reduce the chance of eye contact.
  • If you also use a beta-agonist inhaler, space the doses as directed and carry a fast-acting reliever for sudden symptoms, since ipratropium alone is too slow for emergency rescue.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.