Levosalbutamol

Key facts

• Levosalbutamol is a short-acting beta2-agonist, the R-enantiomer of salbutamol, delivered by inhaler to relax the muscles around the airways and relieve wheeze, cough and breathlessness within minutes.
• It works fast, usually within 5 to 15 minutes, and the effect lasts about 4 to 6 hours; it is a reliever for sudden symptoms, not a long-term controller.
• Needing your inhaler more than usual, or more than a few times a week, is a warning sign that your asthma or COPD is not controlled and carries a higher risk of a severe attack; see a doctor rather than simply using more.
• Seek urgent care for chest pain, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or breathing that keeps getting worse despite using the inhaler.

What Levosalbutamol treats

Levosalbutamol relieves sudden asthma symptoms, asthma flare-ups, and bronchospasm brought on by exercise or cold air. It is also used to relieve breathlessness in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It eases symptoms quickly but does not treat the underlying airway inflammation, so people with persistent symptoms usually also need a separate preventer or maintenance inhaler.

How Levosalbutamol works

Levosalbutamol binds to beta2 receptors on the muscle lining the airways, causing that muscle to relax so the airways widen and air moves more freely. As the single active enantiomer of salbutamol, it produces the same airway-relaxing effect and is associated with less stimulation of the heart at equivalent doses, though it can still raise heart rate at higher doses.

Before you take it

• Tell your prescriber about heart rhythm problems, high blood pressure, an overactive thyroid, or a history of seizures before starting.
• Other medicines that stimulate the heart, some antidepressants, diuretics that lower potassium, and other bronchodilators can add to levosalbutamol's effects on heart rate and blood potassium.
• If you already use a long-acting bronchodilator or a steroid inhaler, keep using them as prescribed; levosalbutamol is for quick relief between doses, not a replacement.

Side effects

Common effects include hand tremor, a fast heartbeat, headache, nervous or jittery feelings, and muscle cramps.

Seek urgent care for:

• Chest pain or a rapid, irregular heartbeat.
• Severe shortness of breath that does not improve after using the inhaler.
• Signs of an allergic reaction such as facial swelling or difficulty breathing.
• Fainting or severe dizziness.

Safety essentials

• Track how often you use your reliever inhaler. Needing it more than 2 to 3 times a week, or waking at night with symptoms, means your asthma is not controlled and needs urgent medical review, since over-reliance on relievers is linked to a higher risk of serious and fatal asthma attacks.
• Do not exceed the number of inhalations your prescriber has set; overuse increases heart-related side effects and low blood potassium.
• Carry your inhaler with you at all times if you have diagnosed asthma or COPD.

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