Like many, Ive used one on and off since my high school days. Sometimes it feels like it works, sometimes it doesn’t. How do they work?
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Pharmacist here! So the “rescue inhaler” you use when you have difficulty breathing is a bronchodilator. What this means is the main ingredient, Albuterol, causes the channels in your lung to expand or open up by acting on Beta2 receptors located there. think of it like a piece of mail addressed to Beta2, and when it gets to Beta2’s house, he reads it and then says “ok, time to open the door wider!” Until the mail degrades, which in this cases takes 4 or so hours. Additionally, there are beta2 receptors located in your heart. When these are activated, the heart begins to beat more rapidly in an effort to deliver oxygen to the lungs at a higher pace. A few things to know that might help you “get more” out of your Albuterol inhaler: remove the canister from the mouthpiece and clean with soap and water it every few weeks or months depending on how often you use it. Let it dry and the combine the parts and “prime it” by wasting a dose or two until you can see the mist. This is to get the air out of the mouthpiece and fill the line with active drug. Your inhaler comes with 204 puffs to accommodate 4 instances of priming. Also, when using it make sure you shake it up for 10 seconds, then exhale as much as possible before pumping the canister to get a dose while breathing in slowly and deeply until you can’t inhale any more. THEN HOLD YOUR BREATH FOR 10 SECONDS, before exhaling. This is the part many people miss. Additionally make sure you have it aimed to the back of your throat when you use the canister, otherwise it will collect on your tongue or your soft pallate and not get to the lungs. Finally, if you experience a racing heart after a few minutes that is a good sign you used it effectively. Remember, a racing heart means your body is moving oxygen more quickly and is a feature, not a side effect!
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