Short-Acting Beta Agonists
AlbuterolAlbuterol Sulfate
Albuterol is the standard rescue inhaler for asthma and COPD, relaxing the airways within minutes. It is sold as ProAir, Ventolin and Proventil and as generic inhalers, plus nebuliser solution and tablets.
This page is general information about a medication and how cash prices for it are set. It is not medical advice and does not replace the label, your prescriber or your pharmacist. How we handle medical information
Generic HFA inhalers, authorised generics of ProAir and Ventolin, nebuliser solution and tablets are all available.
About Albuterol
Albuterol is a short-acting beta-2 agonist. It relaxes the smooth muscle around the airways, opening them within a few minutes and lasting several hours. It is used to relieve sudden symptoms and before exercise, not as a daily controller; needing it frequently is a sign that a controller inhaler should be reviewed. Newer guidelines also use a combined albuterol and budesonide inhaler for rescue in some patients.
The metered-dose inhalers deliver a fixed dose per puff and contain a set number of puffs; most now have a dose counter. Generic albuterol inhalers were slow to arrive because inhaler devices are hard to copy, but several are now approved, and some brands also sell an authorised generic of their own device. The nebuliser solution and tablets have been generic for much longer.
Tremor, fast heartbeat and jitteriness are the usual side effects, especially with overuse. Inhaler technique matters a great deal; a spacer improves delivery for many people and a pharmacist can demonstrate correct use.
Why the cash price for Albuterol differs from pharmacy to pharmacy
Inhalers cost pharmacies far more than tablets because the device is part of the product, and different generics and authorised generics have different acquisition costs. A pharmacy that stocks one manufacturer’s generic inhaler may quote a very different cash price from one that stocks another, before any difference in margin.
Nebuliser solution is inexpensive per dose but requires a machine; for some people with an existing nebuliser it is the cheapest route to albuterol. Whether an inhaler or solution is appropriate is a clinical decision.
Ways to pay less for Albuterol without insurance
- Ask the pharmacy which generic or authorised-generic inhaler it stocks and what each costs; ask the prescriber to allow substitution.
- Ask whether a prescription for more than one inhaler at a time is appropriate, so you are not paying a dispensing fee for each rescue device.
- If you already own a nebuliser, ask the prescriber whether solution is an option for some of your use.
- Ask a pharmacist to check your technique and whether a spacer would help; wasted puffs are wasted money.
- Upload your prescription to Script Unlock so licensed pharmacies can quote their cash price for the inhaler they stock. You pay the pharmacy directly.
How Script Unlock gets you a cash price for Albuterol
Prices on this site come from pharmacies responding to a real prescription. We do not publish estimated, average or "typical" prices, because none of those would be your price.
- 1You upload your prescription
A photo of your Albuterol prescription is enough. Nothing is sold on the site; you are asking pharmacies to quote.
- 2Licensed pharmacies respond
Pharmacies that Script Unlock has verified see the request and each can reply with its own cash price for your exact drug, strength and quantity.
- 3You choose and pay the pharmacy
You compare the responses, pick a pharmacy, and pay that pharmacy directly when you collect. Script Unlock never takes a patient payment and never sets the price.
Questions to ask your pharmacist about Albuterol
- 1.How many puffs are in this inhaler, and does it have a counter?
- 2.Can you show me the correct technique, and should I use a spacer?
- 3.How often is too often to need my rescue inhaler?
- 4.How should I clean and store it?
- 5.Is this the brand, a generic, or an authorised generic?
Related medications
Sources
Script Unlock is a marketplace that lets licensed pharmacies quote a cash price on your prescription. It does not prescribe, dispense or sell medication, does not process patient payments, and does not give medical advice. Always follow the instructions of your prescriber and pharmacist and read the medication guide supplied with your medicine.