Is Albuterol the Same as ProAir?
Yes, ProAir is a brand name for albuterol (salbutamol)—they contain the same active medication, but ProAir refers specifically to a branded hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) metered-dose inhaler formulation of albuterol sulfate. 1
Understanding the Relationship
Albuterol is the generic drug name (also called salbutamol internationally), which is a short-acting beta-2 adrenergic agonist used for rapid bronchodilation 1
ProAir HFA is one of several brand-name products that deliver albuterol sulfate via a metered-dose inhaler 2, 3
Other brand names for albuterol HFA inhalers available in the United States include Ventolin HFA and Proventil HFA 1, 3
Key Clinical Considerations
Not All Albuterol Products Are Identical
While ProAir and other albuterol inhalers contain the same active ingredient, they are NOT interchangeable products due to significant differences in drug delivery characteristics 3:
Fine particle dose varies substantially between brands: ProAir delivers approximately 64 μg of albuterol sulfate as fine particles (<5 μm), compared to 40 μg for Proventil and only 21 μg for Ventolin 3
The fine particle dose is what actually reaches the lungs and provides therapeutic benefit, not just the total labeled dose 3
Patients may require 2-3 times more puffs of Ventolin to achieve clinical benefit similar to ProAir or Proventil 3
Pharmacologic Profile
All albuterol formulations share the same mechanism and clinical characteristics 1:
- Onset of action within 5 minutes, peaking at 30-60 minutes 1
- Duration of action 4-6 hours 1
- Standard dosing is 2 puffs every 4-6 hours as needed for symptom relief 1
Important Prescribing Pitfall
When switching patients between albuterol brands, do not assume equivalent dosing. If a patient is controlled on ProAir and switches to Ventolin, they may experience inadequate symptom relief with the same number of puffs due to lower fine particle delivery 3. Conversely, switching from Ventolin to ProAir without counseling could result in relative overdosing.
Practical Recommendations
Use "albuterol" when referring to the medication class and specify the brand name (ProAir, Ventolin, Proventil) when prescribing to ensure pharmacy consistency 3
Counsel patients that different albuterol inhalers may not work identically if insurance formularies force brand switches 3
Consider using a valved holding chamber (spacer) with any albuterol MDI, as this increases fine particle delivery by 7-47% depending on brand and reduces variability between products 4
Intervals between puffs can be as short as 10-15 seconds with no loss of benefit for ProAir and Ventolin (though 60 seconds remains standard recommendation) 1, 4