Metaproterenol

Generic Name : Metaproterenol

TradeName : Ocriprenaline, Alupent.

Why it is prescribed (Indications) : 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

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 colour 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.