What Is a Formoterol Inhaler?

Inhalers are medical devices that deliver medication into the lungs through breathing. A formoterol inhaler contains a drug that controls the symptoms of asthma or other lung diseases throughout the day. It is long acting, so twice daily doses generally work efficiently on most symptoms.

Formoterol is part of a group of medicines called long-acting beta agonists (LABAs). Basically, the drug binds to receptors in the lungs, and the receptors signal to the muscle of the lungs to relax. The relaxed muscle allows the channels of the lungs to widen, thus allowing easier movement of air in and out.

Asthma and other lung conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPDs), including bronchitis and emphysema, can make the air channels in the lungs narrower and tighter than normal. This affects the amount of air the lungs can take in and out and therefore causes breathlessness or wheezing. LABA medications act specifically to keep the airways open over long periods of time. The reason for the inhaler delivery method is that the drug gets directly to the problem areas instead of having to be ingested and make its way through the body to the lungs.

Every 12 hours is the recommended dosage regimen of a formoterol inhaler. Even though the drug acts within minutes, the effects last for half a day. This exact timing is why a patient should take the two daily doses spaced equally. A formoterol inhaler uses a capsule filled with the drug and an inhaler to break open the capsule, converting the powder into a mist for inhalation.

Possible side effects of using a formoterol inhaler include an irritated throat, dizziness, and abnormally low potassium levels. Patients taking the drug can also suffer from insomnia, increased anxiousness, or cramping in the muscles. Circulatory problems can also occur, such as palpitations and an unusually rapid heartbeat.

More seriously, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States warn that using a formoterol inhaler to treat asthma may actually raise the risk of a patient suffering serious and potentially deadly asthma attacks. The NIH states that the drug should not be given to people with mild asthma, and in the case of patients with a severe condition, formoterol should be combined with another drug. If the formoterol manages to bring asthma symptoms under control, then the patient can switch to using only the other medication.