warnings and cautions
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Life-threatening paradoxical bronchospasm may occur. Discontinue PROAIR RESPICLICK immediately and treat with alternative therapy. ( 5.1 ) Need for more doses of PROAIR RESPICLICK than usual may be a sign of deterioration of asthma and requires reevaluation of treatment. ( 5.2 ) PROAIR RESPICLICK is not a substitute for corticosteroids. ( 5.3 ) Cardiovascular effects may occur. Use with caution in patients sensitive to sympathomimetic drugs and patients with cardiovascular or convulsive disorders. ( 5.4 , 5.7 ) Excessive use may be fatal. Do not exceed recommended dose. ( 5.5 ) Immediate hypersensitivity reactions may occur. Discontinue PROAIR RESPICLICK immediately. ( 5.6 ) Hypokalemia and changes in blood glucose may occur. ( 5.7 , 5.8 ) 5.1 Paradoxical Bronchospasm PROAIR RESPICLICK can produce paradoxical bronchospasm that may be life threatening. If paradoxical bronchospasm occurs, PROAIR RESPICLICK should be discontinued immediately and alternative therapy instituted. 5.2 Deterioration of Asthma Asthma may deteriorate acutely over a period of hours or chronically over several days or longer. If the patient needs more doses of PROAIR RESPICLICK, this may be a marker of destabilization of asthma and requires re-evaluation of the patient and treatment regimen, giving special consideration to the possible need for anti-inflammatory treatment, eg, corticosteroids. 5.3 Use of Anti-Inflammatory Agents The use of beta-adrenergic-agonist bronchodilators alone may not be adequate to control asthma in many patients. Early consideration should be given to adding anti-inflammatory agents, e.g., corticosteroids, to the therapeutic regimen. 5.4 Cardiovascular Effects PROAIR RESPICLICK, like other beta-adrenergic agonists, can produce clinically significant cardiovascular effects in some patients as measured by pulse rate, blood pressure, and/or symptoms. Although such effects are uncommon after administration of PROAIR RESPICLICK at recommended doses, if they occur, the drug may need to be discontinued. In addition, beta-agonists have been reported to produce ECG changes, such as flattening of the T-wave, prolongation of the QTc interval, and ST segment depression. The clinical significance of these findings is unknown. Therefore, PROAIR RESPICLICK, like all sympathomimetic amines, should be used with caution in patients with cardiovascular disorders, especially coronary insufficiency, cardiac arrhythmias, and hypertension. 5.5 Do Not Exceed Recommended Dose Fatalities have been reported in association with excessive use of inhaled sympathomimetic drugs in patients with asthma. The exact cause of death is unknown, but cardiac arrest following an unexpected development of a severe acute asthmatic crisis and subsequent hypoxia is suspected. 5.6 Hypersensitivity Reactions including Anaphylaxis Immediate hypersensitivity reactions may occur after administration of albuterol sulfate, as demonstrated by rare cases of urticaria, angioedema, rash, bronchospasm, anaphylaxis, and oropharyngeal edema. PROAIR RESPICLICK contains small amounts of lactose, which may contain trace levels of milk proteins. Hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis, angioedema, pruritus, and rash have been reported with the use of therapies containing lactose (lactose is an inactive ingredient in PROAIR RESPICLICK). The potential for hypersensitivity must be considered in the clinical evaluation of patients who experience immediate hypersensitivity reactions while receiving PROAIR RESPICLICK. 5.7 Coexisting Conditions PROAIR RESPICLICK, like all sympathomimetic amines, should be used with caution in patients with cardiovascular disorders, especially coronary insufficiency, cardiac arrhythmias, and hypertension; in patients with convulsive disorders, hyperthyroidism, or diabetes mellitus; and in patients who are unusually responsive to sympathomimetic amines. Clinically significant changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure have been seen in individual patients and could be expected to occur in some patients after use of any beta-adrenergic bronchodilator. Large doses of intravenous albuterol have been reported to aggravate preexisting diabetes mellitus and ketoacidosis. 5.8 Hypokalemia As with other beta-agonists, PROAIR RESPICLICK may produce significant hypokalemia in some patients, possibly through intracellular shunting, which has the potential to produce adverse cardiovascular effects. The decrease is usually transient, not requiring supplementation.