Metaproterenol Description

Generic Name : METAPROTERENOL

Pronunciation : (met a proe ter' e nole)

Trade Name(s) : Ocriprenaline, Alupent.

Why it is prescribed: Metaproterenol, a bronchodilator, relaxes and opens the air passages to the lungs, making it easier to breathe. It is used to relieve asthma attacks and troubled breathing caused by bronchitis, emphysema, and other lung diseases.

When it is to be taken: Metaproterenol usually is taken three or four times a day or every three or four hours by inhalation. Follow the instructions on your prescription label carefully. Metaproterenol begins to work within one minute of inhalation or within 15 minutes when taken by mouth.

How it should be taken: Metaproterenol comes in the form of oral liquid or syrup, tablets, and an aerosol for oral inhalation with a special inhaler. Your prescription label tells you how much to take at each dose. You may obtain a specially marked measuring spoon to be sure of an accurate dose of the syrup. To use the inhaler, follow the instructions that come with it and these steps:
(1) Shake the inhaler well.
(2) Exhale as completely as possible through your nose while keeping your mouth shut.
(3) Place the open end of the mouthpiece well into your mouth, past your front teeth. Close your lips tightly around the mouthpiece.
(4) Take a slow, deep breath through the mouthpiece and, at the same time, press down on the container to spray the medication into your mouth. Be sure that the mist goes into your throat and is not blocked by your teeth or tongue. Adults giving the treatment to young children may hold the child's nose closed to be sure that the medication goes into the child's throat.
(5) Hold your breath for a few seconds, remove the inhaler, and exhale slowly through your nose or mouth. Wait at least two minutes between inhalations.
(6) If you have difficulty getting the medication into your lungs, a spacer may help; ask your doctor.
(7) If you have used the inhaler as directed and still cannot breathe freely, contact your doctor.

Special Instruction :
1. Wash the mouthpiece of the inhaler with warm water and dry it thoroughly once a day.
2. If this medication loses its effectiveness or if your condition worsens, stop taking Metaproterenol and contact your doctor.
3. Do not take Metaproterenol more often or take more at each dose than as directed.
4. Increasing your dose can be dangerous and can decrease the drug's effectiveness.
5. If your sputum thickens or changes color from clear white to yellow, contact your doctor; these changes may be signs of infection.

Side Effects :
1. Unpleasant taste. Rinse your mouth with water after each treatment.
2. Nervousness, tremors, headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting. Contact your doctor if these effects are severe or persist.
3. Increased difficulty breathing; fast heartbeat; palpitations: red, itchy, skin: faintness; shortness of breath. Stop using the drug and contact your doctor immediately.

Other Precautions :
1. Before taking Metaproterenol, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding or if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, an overactive thyroid gland, diabetes, or epilepsy.
2. Metaproterenol can affect the way your body responds to certain drugs. Tell your doctor what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially beta blockers and other asthma medications.
3. Before taking Metaproterenol, tell your doctor if you ever had a bad reaction to albuterol, bitolterol, ephedrine, epinephrine, isoetharine, isoproterenol, phenylephrine, phenylpropanolamine, pseudoephedrine, or terbutaline. Many nonprescription medications contain these drugs, so check the labels carefully. Do not take any of these drugs without consulting your doctor. If your doctor directs you to take any of these drugs, do not take them within four hours of taking Metaproterenol.

Storage Conditions :
1. Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of the reach of children.
2. Store it at room temperature.
3. Avoid puncturing the aerosol container.