Albuterol Inhalers Available in the United States
The most commonly used albuterol inhalers in the United States are ProAir HFA, Proventil HFA, and Ventolin HFA, all delivering albuterol sulfate via hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellant metered-dose inhalers. 1
Specific Brand Names
- ProAir HFA - Delivers approximately 64 μg fine particle dose per actuation 2
- Proventil HFA - Delivers approximately 40 μg fine particle dose per actuation 2
- Ventolin HFA - Delivers approximately 21 μg fine particle dose per actuation 2
Alternative Albuterol Formulations
Levalbuterol (R-enantiomer)
- Xopenex (levalbuterol) - Contains only the R-enantiomer of albuterol, which is the active bronchodilator component 1, 3
- Levalbuterol has effectiveness and side effect profile indistinguishable from racemic albuterol but costs more ($54 vs $40-55 for standard albuterol) 1
Other Short-Acting Beta-2 Agonist
- Maxair (pirbuterol) - Another short-acting beta-2 agonist option, though less commonly used 1
Important Clinical Considerations
These products are NOT interchangeable despite containing the same labeled dose. 2 The fine particle dose (particles <5 μm that actually reach the lungs) varies significantly between brands:
- ProAir delivers 2-3 times more lung-deposited albuterol than Ventolin 2
- Patients may require 3 additional puffs of Ventolin to achieve clinical benefit similar to ProAir or Proventil 2
Delivery Device Options
- Metered-dose inhalers (MDI) - All current albuterol products use HFA propellants (chlorofluorocarbons were phased out) 1, 4
- Nebulizer solutions - Albuterol sulfate 0.083% solution requires no dilution before nebulization 5
- MDI with valved holding chamber (VHC) - Using a spacer removes larger particles without reducing fine particle dose, potentially improving lung deposition 2