Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation
Budesonide and albuterol is a combination inhaled corticosteroid and short-acting bronchodilator used for the as-needed treatment or prevention of bronchoconstriction and to reduce the risk of asthma flare-ups.
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 1 clinical label set within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
📖 Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation: Patient Information Guide
A plain-language walkthrough of Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation — what it treats, how it works, how it’s taken, side effects, warnings and interactions. Tap any section to expand it.
🎯What it's used for▾
Budesonide and albuterol oral inhalation is a combination product used in asthma management in adults.
- Airsupra inhaler is approved for adults 18 years and older for the as-needed treatment or prevention of bronchoconstriction (sudden airway tightening) caused by asthma
- Airsupra inhaler is also indicated to reduce the risk of serious asthma exacerbations (flare-ups that may require urgent care) in adults with asthma
⚙️How it works▾
Airsupra combines two active ingredients that work differently but complement each other. Albuterol is a short-acting beta-2 agonist — it quickly attaches to receptors on the muscles wrapped around the airways, signaling them to relax and open up. This brings fast relief from tightness and wheezing. Budesonide is an inhaled corticosteroid that works more broadly, dialing down the airway inflammation that underlies asthma by suppressing the immune cells and chemical messengers (like histamine and leukotrienes) that cause swelling. Most of budesonide's action stays local in the lungs because it is rapidly broken down if it reaches the bloodstream, which limits whole-body steroid effects at recommended doses.
💊How it's taken▾
Airsupra is taken by mouth inhalation using a pressurized metered-dose inhaler. The standard dose is 2 puffs, used as needed when asthma symptoms occur — it is not intended for use on a fixed daily schedule.
- Do not exceed 6 doses (12 puffs) in any 24-hour period
- Prime the inhaler before first use (4 sprays into the air) and re-prime if unused for more than 7 days, if dropped, or after cleaning (2 sprays)
- Discard the inhaler when the dose counter reaches zero
- Always follow your prescriber's specific instructions — they may have guidance tailored to your asthma management plan
🤒Side effects — in detail▾
The most commonly reported side effects with Airsupra include:
- Headache
- Oral candidiasis (thrush — a yeast infection in the mouth or throat)
- Cough
- Dysphonia (hoarseness or voice changes)
More serious reactions — including heart pounding or irregular heartbeat, sudden worsening of breathing right after a dose (paradoxical bronchospasm), signs of a severe allergic reaction (swelling, hives, difficulty breathing), or low potassium levels — require prompt medical attention. Call your doctor or seek emergency care right away if any of these occur.
⚠️Warnings & precautions▾
- Do not exceed the maximum dose — more than 6 doses (12 puffs) in 24 hours can cause serious heart problems and has been linked to fatalities with overuse of beta-agonist inhalers
- Worsening asthma: If you need Airsupra more often than usual or symptoms don't improve, your asthma may be destabilizing — contact your doctor rather than taking extra doses
- Paradoxical bronchospasm: Rarely, Airsupra can cause airways to tighten immediately after use. Stop using it and get alternative treatment right away if this happens
- Cardiovascular effects: Albuterol can raise heart rate, blood pressure, and cause ECG changes in some people — use with caution if you have heart disease, coronary artery disease, or abnormal heart rhythms
- Adrenal suppression: Long-term high-dose use of inhaled corticosteroids can suppress the adrenal glands; take particular care during surgery, illness, or high-stress periods
- Mouth yeast infection (oral thrush): Rinse your mouth with water (don't swallow) after every use to lower this risk
- Infections: Corticosteroids can suppress immunity; chickenpox and measles can be more severe. Avoid exposure if you haven't had these illnesses or the vaccines
- Eye problems: Long-term use of inhaled corticosteroids is linked to glaucoma and cataracts — report any eye symptoms to your doctor
🔀What it interacts with▾
Airsupra can interact with several types of medications — always tell your prescriber and pharmacist everything you take:
- Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (ritonavir, ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin, and others) — slow the breakdown of budesonide, raising steroid levels in the body and increasing the chance of steroid-related side effects
- Beta-blockers (propranolol, metoprolol, atenolol, etc.) — block albuterol's ability to open airways and can trigger severe bronchospasm in people with asthma
- MAO inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants — amplify albuterol's effects on the heart and blood vessels; avoid within 2 weeks of stopping these medicines
- Non-potassium-sparing diuretics (loop or thiazide water pills like furosemide or hydrochlorothiazide) — can worsen low potassium or heart rhythm abnormalities when combined with albuterol
- Digoxin — albuterol may lower digoxin blood levels; monitor levels carefully
- Other short-acting beta-agonist inhalers — using them alongside Airsupra increases the risk of too much albuterol effect
This is not a complete list of interactions. Always talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
📋Before taking it▾
- Do not use Airsupra if you are allergic to albuterol, budesonide, or any ingredient in the product
- Tell your doctor about any history of heart disease, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, or irregular heartbeat
- Mention any history of seizures, overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), or diabetes — albuterol can affect blood sugar and potassium levels
- Tell your doctor about active or past tuberculosis, any untreated fungal, bacterial, viral or parasitic infections, or a history of ocular herpes simplex
- If you haven't had chickenpox or measles and haven't been vaccinated, take steps to avoid exposure while using Airsupra
- If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, discuss carefully with your doctor — uncontrolled asthma in pregnancy carries its own risks, and the decision to use Airsupra should be made together with your healthcare provider
- If you are breastfeeding, talk to your doctor — budesonide is present in breast milk in small amounts, and the benefits and risks should be weighed together
- Airsupra is not approved for anyone under 18 — safety and effectiveness in children and adolescents have not been established
- If you have severe liver disease, tell your doctor — impaired liver function can increase how much budesonide stays in your system
- If you have kidney disease, use caution with high doses — reduced kidney function can affect how albuterol is cleared from the body
🚑If you take too much▾
Taking too much Airsupra can cause symptoms of excessive albuterol stimulation: rapid or irregular heartbeat, high or low blood pressure, chest pain (angina), tremor, headache, dizziness, nervousness, nausea, muscle cramps, low potassium, and in severe cases, seizures or cardiac arrest. If you think you or someone else has used too much, stop using the inhaler and seek emergency medical help right away. Prolonged overuse of the budesonide component can also lead to excess corticosteroid effects in the body.
📡Pharmacodynamics — effects in the body▾
Albuterol acts primarily on the airways, relaxing bronchial smooth muscle from the large airways all the way to the small terminal bronchioles, and can also inhibit the release of allergy-triggering substances from mast cells in the lungs. In some people, albuterol can also produce measurable effects on the heart — raising pulse rate, blood pressure, or causing ECG changes. Budesonide reduces airway hypersensitivity (reactivity to triggers like histamine and methacholine) through its local anti-inflammatory effects. Like other inhaled corticosteroids, Airsupra may affect the body's cortisol (stress hormone) levels, particularly at higher doses or with prolonged use.
🔬Pharmacokinetics — how your body processes it▾
After inhalation, both albuterol and budesonide are absorbed relatively quickly — albuterol reaches peak blood levels in about 1 hour and budesonide in about 20 minutes on average, though timing varies between individuals. Albuterol has a half-life of about 7 hours and is cleared mainly through the kidneys. Budesonide has a shorter half-life of about 4 hours; it is extensively broken down by the liver (via the CYP3A4 enzyme) into metabolites with very little steroid activity, which means most of its effect stays local in the lungs with limited whole-body exposure at recommended doses. Budesonide is excreted in both urine and feces as metabolites.
📦How to store it▾
Store at controlled room temperature 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F); excursions permitted to 15°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F) . Keep in a dry place away from heat and sunlight. Keep out of reach of children.
📄 Written from Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Every point is grounded in that labeling — nothing is invented. How we use AI →
🩺 Pharmacist Counseling Corner
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
Is Airsupra meant to be my everyday maintenance inhaler, or only when I'm having symptoms? ▾
Why do I need to rinse my mouth after using it? ▾
What should I do if one puff doesn't seem to be helping? ▾
I take a heart medication — is it safe to use Airsupra? ▾
I'm pregnant — can I still use this inhaler? ▾
How do I know when my Airsupra inhaler is running out? ▾
Is Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation available over the counter? ▾
When was Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation first available? ▾
💬 Answers drafted from Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Grounded in that labeling — nothing is made up. How we use AI →
🧰 Keep exploring
💊 How Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation comes
Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Inhaler
How this form is used
- Airsupra is used as needed to treat or prevent bronchoconstriction (airway tightening) in adults 18 and older with asthma
- Airsupra is used to reduce the risk of serious asthma flare-ups (exacerbations) in adults with asthma
- Airsupra is inhaled by mouth as 2 puffs per dose, taken as needed for asthma symptoms — not on a fixed daily schedule
- Airsupra should not be used more than 6 times (12 puffs) in any 24-hour period
- Before first use, prime Airsupra with 4 test sprays into the air; re-prime with 2 sprays if not used for more than 7 days, if dropped, or after cleaning
- Rinse your mouth with water (without swallowing) after each use of Airsupra to help prevent a mouth yeast infection
📊 Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation across the U.S. market
How Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
📈 How widely Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation is used
A general measure of how commonly Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.
Think of this as a proxy for how widely Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.
How commonly is Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation prescribed? Of the 1,596 medications we measure, Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation ranks #544 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 66% of them.
Utilization by Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation product
Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.
120 ACTUAT albuterol 0.09 MG/ACTUAT / budesonide 0.08 MG/ACTUAT Metered Dose Inhaler
Summed across the 1 of 1 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 2665906
Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.
Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 1 of 1 listed Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation NDCs with Medicaid activity.
🔍 Compare Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Inhaler | ||||
| ALBUTEROL SULFATE 90 mcg/1; BUDESONIDE 80 mcg | Respiratory (inhalation) | AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP | NDA | View NDC → |
| 90; 80 mcg/1; mcg | Respiratory (inhalation) | AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP | NDA | View NDC → |
Showing 2 of 2 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 2 Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation NDCs →
📈 What people report — real-world data (FDA FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
🏛️ The road to your pharmacy
How Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
🚨 Recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
Source: openFDA drug enforcement (recall) reports.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one exact multiple-ingredient concept (MIN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). A product with a different ingredient combination belongs on a different page.
RxCUI 2632021 1 dose form · 2 strengths
-
Dose form (SCDF) Metered Dose Inhaler RxCUI 2665905In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) 28 ACTUAT albuterol 0.09 MG/ACTUAT / budesonide 0.08 MG/ACTUATRxCUI 2678391120 ACTUAT albuterol 0.09 MG/ACTUAT / budesonide 0.08 MG/ACTUATRxCUI 2665906
Look up RxCUI 2632021 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
📦 Supply & shortage status
Whether Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
🏷️ Sold under these brand names
🏭 Manufacturers & labelers
RxNorm drug class
Budesonide and Albuterol Oral Inhalation belongs to the Corticosteroid class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
🔬 Where this comes from
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How we combine label and product data
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records; we don’t author the underlying clinical facts. We identified 1 FDA-filed SPL label set within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. The representative label is the starting point for the displayed reference monograph; the 12 largest stored in-scope SPL records, which may include that representative, are compared section by section, and the longest available version of each section is retained. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, product-listed strengths, and product-record counts are aggregated separately from ingredient-matched FDA NDC Directory records; package records listed above are associated with the linked SPL; and the normalized concept hierarchy comes from NLM RxNorm.
Where a section is identified as AI-written, its plain-language text is generated from bounded label evidence. New draft drug pages remain in the admin review queue before first publication. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates; it is not the sole source used for the page.
This is general education, not medical advice — always consult your doctor or pharmacist about your medications and any medical condition. For the exact wording of the linked representative label, view that label on DailyMed; some displayed composite sections may come from other in-scope SPL labels. Learn how we use AI and our data sources & update cadence.