Ventolin Nebules 2.5mg

mm;

Package Leaflet: Information for the User

Ventolin® Nebules® 2.5 mg and 5 mg

salbutamol sulfate

Ventolin Nebules with food and drink

You can use Ventolin Nebules at any time of day, with or without food. Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.

Driving and using machines

Ventolin Nebules are not likely to affect you being able to drive or use any tools or machines.

You should not drive or use machinery while using the nebuliser as this makes the mist for you to inhale.

3 How to use Ventolin Nebules

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start using this medicine because it contains important information for you.

• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.

• If you have any further questions, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

• This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.

• If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

What is in this leaflet:

1 What Ventolin Nebules are and what they are used for

2 What you need to know before you use Ventolin Nebules

3 How to use Ventolin Nebules

4 Possible side effects

5 How to store Ventolin Nebules

6 Contents of the pack and other information

1 What Ventolin Nebules are and what they are used for

Ventolin Nebules contain a medicine called salbutamol. This belongs to a group of medicines called fast-acting bronchodilators.

• Bronchodilators help the airways in your lungs to stay open. This makes it easier for air to get in and out.

• They help to relieve chest tightness, wheezing and cough.

Ventolin Nebules are used to treat breathing problems in people with asthma and other chest illnesses. They are usually given to people who suffer quite badly from these conditions when other forms of treatment do not help enough. Ventolin Nebules are also given to treat severe attacks of asthma.

A Nebule® is a small plastic container that contains a liquid. The liquid is put into a machine called a nebuliser. This machine makes a fine mist for you to breathe in through a face mask.

2 What you need to know before you use Ventolin Nebules

Do not use Ventolin Nebules if:

• you are allergic to salbutamol sulfate or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in Section 6).

• you unexpectedly go into early labour (premature labour) or threatened abortion.

Warnings and precautions

Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before taking Ventolin Nebules if:

• your asthma is active (for example you have frequent symptoms or flare ups or limited physical ability). Your doctor may start or increase a medicine to control your asthma such as an inhaled corticosteroid.

• you have high blood pressure

• you are diabetic

• you have an overactive thyroid gland

• you have a history of heart problems such as an irregular or fast heartbeat or angina

• you use another nebuliser solution e.g. ipratropium bromide, make sure the mist does not get in your eyes. This can be prevented by using a mouthpiece instead of a face mask or goggles.

• you are taking xanthine derivatives (such as theophylline) or steroids to treat asthma.

• you are taking water tablets (diuretics), sometimes used to treat high blood pressure or a heart condition.

• If you have taken other drugs used to relieve stuffy nose (such as ephedrine or pseudoephedrine) or other medicines used to treat asthma,

Other medicines and Ventolin Nebules

Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take

any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription. This includes

herbal medicines. Remember to take this medicine with you if you go to hospital.

In particular tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you are taking:

• medicines for an irregular or fast heartbeat

• other medicines for your asthma.

Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you are not sure.

Using this medicine

• do not inject or swallow the liquid. Ventolin Nebules should only be inhaled using your nebuliser

• do not let the liquid, or the mist produced by the nebuliser get into your

eyes. You can wear glasses or goggles to protect them

• your doctor, nurse or pharmacist should show you how to use your medicine

• each small plastic container (Nebule) contains some liquid

• the liquid is put into a nebuliser. This makes a fine mist for you to breathe in through a face mask or mouthpiece

• use your nebuliser in a well ventilated room as some of the mist will be released into the air and may be breathed in by others.

Adults, adolescents aged 12 years and over and children 4 to 11 years of age

• The usual starting dose is 2.5 mg up to four times daily. Increased to 5 mg up to four times daily if required.

Using your Nebules

Your Nebules are in a foil tray or a flow wrap. Do not open the foil tray or flow wrap pack until you need to use them

If using the foil tray: open the foil tray by lifting the foil lid at the red arrow and peeling it back.

If using the flow wrap: open the flow wrap by tearing downwards from the tear point, located on the right hand side of the seal at the top of the pack. Hold the strip of Nebules in one hand, with your other hand hold the last Nebule in the row

^ Iwist the Nebule downwards and away from you

For the foil pack - Return the remaining nebules to the foil tray and cover the tray with the lid foil. Write the discard date in the "discard after" box on the lid foil, as a reminder. The discard date is 3 months from the date you opened the foil tray. Return the opened foil tray to the box.

For the flow wrap pack - return the remaining nebules to the flow wrap pouch. Write the discard date in the "discard after" box on the pouch, as a reminder. The discard date is 3 months from the date you opened the flow wrap pouch. Return the opened flow wrap pouch to the box. Hold the top of the Nebule you have just removed. Twist the body to open it

Put the open end of the Nebule into the nebuliser bowl and squeeze * slowly. Make sure that all the contents are emptied into the nebuliser

g Assemble the nebuliser and use it as directed

Diluting your Nebules

• do not dilute the contents of a Nebule unless you are told to by your doctor

• if your doctor has told you to dilute the solution, empty the contents of the Nebule into the nebuliser bowl

• add the amount of sterile normal saline your doctor has told you to use

• put the top on the nebuliser bowl and shake gently to mix the contents.

If dilution is necessary then only sterile normal saline should be used.

After use

• use a fresh Nebule for each dose. Only open a new one when you are ready to use it. If there is any liquid left over, throw it away. Do not save it to use again

• throw away any solution remaining in the nebuliser bowl

• clean your nebuliser in the recommended way.

If you use more Ventolin Nebules than you should

If you use more than you should, talk to a doctor as soon as possible. The following effects may happen:

• your heart beating faster than usual

• you feel shaky.

• hyperactivity

These effects usually wear off in a few hours.

If you forget to use Ventolin Nebules

• If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember it.

• However, if it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose.

• Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.

If you stop using Ventolin Nebules

Do not stop using Ventolin Nebules without talking to your doctor.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

4 Possible side effects

If your breathing or wheezing gets worse straight after taking this medicine, stop using it immediately, and tell your doctor as soon as possible.

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The following side effects may happen with this medicine:

Allergic Reactions (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people)

If you have an allergic reaction, stop taking Ventolin and see a doctor straight away. Signs of an allergic reaction include: swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing, itchy rash, feeling faint and light headed, and collapse.

Talk to your doctor as soon as possible if:

• you feel your heart is beating faster or stronger than usual (palpitations). This is usually harmless, and usually stops after you have used the medicine for a while

• you may feel your heartbeat is uneven or it gives an extra beat

• these may affect up to 1 in 10 people.

If any of these happen to you, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. Do not stop using this medicine unless told to do so.

Tell your doctor if you have any of the following side effects which may also happen with this medicine:

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)

• feeling shaky

• headache.

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)

• mouth and throat irritation

• muscle cramps.

Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)

• a low level of potassium in your blood

• increased blood flow to your extremities (peripheral dilatation).

Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people)

• changes in sleep patterns and changes in behaviour, such as restlessness and excitability.

The following side effects can also happen but the frequency of these are not known:

• chest pain, due to heart problems such as angina. Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if this occurs. Do not stop using this medicine unless told to do so

• a condition known as lactic acidosis which may cause stomach pain, hyperventilation, shortness of breath even though there may be improvement in your wheezing, cold feet and hands, irregular heartbeat or thirst.

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

If you think this medicine is not working well enough for you

If your medicine does not seem to be working as well as usual, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. Your chest problem may be getting worse and you may need a different medicine. Do not take extra Ventolin unless your doctor tells you to.

5 How to store Ventolin Nebules

• Keep out of the sight and reach of children.

• Do not store above 30°C.

• Store the Nebules in the foil tray inside the carton to protect the Nebules from light.

• When you open a foil tray:

- note the date of opening

- add 3 months to this date. This will be the 'discard after' date

- write the 'discard after' date in the space provided on the foil lid

- do not use any unused Ventolin Nebules remaining from that foil tray after the 'discard after' date, return them to your pharmacist for destruction.

• If the foil tray has not been opened, do not use Ventolin Nebules after the expiry date, which is stated on the carton, labels and foil trays after 'EXP'. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.

• If you are told to stop taking this medicine return any unused Ventolin Nebules to your pharmacist to be destroyed.

Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help to protect the environment.

6 Contents of the pack and other information

What Ventolin Nebules contains

• The active substance is salbutamol sulfate.

• Ventolin Nebules 2.5 mg:

each 2.5 ml Nebule contains 2.5mg of salbutamol (as salbutamol sulfate).

• Ventolin Nebules 5 mg:

each 2.5 ml Nebule contains 5 mg of salbutamol (as salbutamol sulfate).

• The other ingredients are salt (sodium chloride), sulfuric acid and water.

What Ventolin Nebules looks like and contents of the pack

Each foil tray contains 5 Ventolin Nebules.

Each carton contains 20 Ventolin Nebules.

Marketing Authorisation Holder

Glaxo Wellcome UK Limited Stockley Park West Uxbridge

Middlesex UB11 1BT

Manufacturer

Glaxo Operations UK Limited (trading as Glaxo Wellcome Operations)

Harmire Road Barnard Castle Co. Durham DL12 8DT United Kingdom

Other formats:

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0800 198 5000 (UK only)

Please be ready to give the following information:

Product name Ventolin Nebules 2.5 mg

Ventolin Nebules 5 mg

Reference number 10949/0085

This is a service provided by the Royal National Institute of Blind People.

This leaflet was last revised in June 2016

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