Combivent (Ipratropium/Albuterol) Inhaler: Uses, Benefits & Side Effects

The brand name medication Combivent contains a combination of two inhalant medications--ipratropium bromide and albuterol sulfate. Doctors prescribe Combivent for patients suffering from diseases that affect breathing.

Function

• Ipratropium bromide blocks the activities of a chemical known as acetylcholine in your body, which causes the muscles in the airways of your lungs to relax. Albuterol sulfate stimulates areas of these muscles, increasing their relaxation.

Effects

• When the muscles of your airways relax due to the medications contained in Combivent, more room exists in your lungs for air to pass through. In this way, Combivent makes it easier for you to breathe.

Uses

• Doctors prescribe Combivent to reduce the symptoms of breathlessness and wheezing from conditions such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Combivent also slows the progress of the lung disease Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, explains the Mayo Clinic.

Time Frame

• Patients typically administer Combivent through a metered-dose inhaler or "puffer" four times per day, taking two inhalations per dose, explains the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Considerations

• Because its safety in such patients is unknown, doctors rarely prescribe Combivent spray for pregnant women or children. If you have a history of circulatory disease, heart disease, arrhythmia, hypertension, diabetes, difficult urination, prostate enlargement, glaucoma, hypokalemia, hyerperthyroidism, seizures or urinary bladder blockage, Combivent may not be safe for you, cautions the Mayo Clinic.