Ventolin Diskus - GlaxoSmithKline

IMPORTANT: PLEASE READPART III: CONSUMER INFORMATIONPr VENTOLIN ® DISKUS ®salbutamol sulphateThis leaflet is part III of a three-part "Product Monograph" forVENTOLIN ® DISKUS ® and is designed specifically forConsumers. This leaflet is a summary and will not tell youeverything about VENTOLIN ® DISKUS ® . Please read thisleaflet carefully before you start to take your medicine or startadministering it to a child. Contact your doctor or pharmacistif you have any questions about the drug. This medicine is foryou. Only a doctor can prescribe if for you. Never give it tosomeone else. It may harm them even if their symptoms arethe same as yours.ABOUT THIS MEDICATIONWhat the medication is used for:Your doctor has prescribed a medicine called VENTOLIN ®(salbutamol sulphate) DISKUS ® inhalation powder to you. Itis used to help breathing problems in:• Asthma• Other chest illnesses.What it does:Salbutamol is one of a group of medicines calledbronchodilators. Salbutamol relaxes the muscles in the wallsof the small air passages in the lungs. This helps to open upthe airways and so helps to relieve chest tightness, wheezingand cough so that you can breathe more easily.When it should not be used:Do not use if you are allergic to it or any of the components ofits formulation including lactose (milk sugar) or milk protein(see What the important nonmedicinal ingredients are).What the medicinal ingredient is:VENTOLIN ® DISKUS ® inhalation powder contains the activeingredient, salbutamol sulphate.What the important nonmedicinal ingredients are:VENTOLIN ® DISKUS ® inhalation powder contains lactose(milk sugar), including milk protein which acts as the‘carrier’.What dosage forms it comes in:VENTOLIN ® DISKUS ® inhalation powder is a disposableblue-coloured plastic inhaler device containing a foil stripwith 60 blisters. Each blister contains 200 mcg of the activeingredient salbutamol (as the sulphate salt). The blistersprotect the powder for inhalation from effects of theatmosphere.WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONSBefore you use VENTOLIN ® DISKUS ® talk to your doctor orpharmacist if:• You have ever had to stop taking other medicines forthis illness because you were allergic to them or theycaused problems.• You are having treatment for a thyroid condition.• You are having treatment for high blood pressure or aheart problem.• You have been told that you are allergic to lactose(milk sugar) or milk protein.• If you have diabetes.• If you have a past history of seizures.If the relief of wheezing or chest tightness is not as good asusual, tell your doctor as soon as possible. If you notice asudden worsening of your shortness of breath and wheezeshortly after taking your medicine, tell your doctor as soon aspossible. It may be that your chest condition is worsening andyou may need to add another type of medicine to yourtreatment.Your doctor may decide not to prescribe this medicine duringthe first 3 months of pregnancy, nor if you are breast feeding ababy. However, there may be circumstances when your doctoradvises you differently.INTERACTIONS WITH THIS MEDICATIONMake sure that your doctor knows what other medicines youare taking (such as those for depression, allergies, other airwayopeningmedications (e.g. other asthma medications) bloodpressure and heart medications, and water pills (diuretics),etc.), including those you can buy without a prescription aswell as herbal and alternative medicines.PROPER USE OF THIS MEDICATIONCarefully follow the instructions shown. If you have anyproblems, tell your doctor of pharmacist.It is important that your use your VENTOLIN ® DISKUS ®inhalation powder properly to ensure that you receivemaximum benefit from your medicine.When you take your DISKUS ® inhalation device out of its box,it will be in the closed position.A new DISKUS ® inhalation device contains 60 individuallyprotected doses of your medicine, in powder form. The devicehas a dose counter which tells you the number of dosesremaining. It counts down from 60 to 1. To show when theOctober 03, 2007Page 20 of 23