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Previous Volume 356:1344-1351 March 29, 2007 Number 13 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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Inhaled short-acting ₂-agonists are indicated for short-term relief of symptoms related to bronchospasm in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Albuterol (called salbutamol outside the United States) is delivered by a metered-dose inhaler, the most widely used drug and delivery method in this class of agents worldwide. In the United States, about 52 million prescriptions for albuterol are filled annually, mostly as generic products containing chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellants,¹ making it the seventh most commonly prescribed medication in the country. A similar number of albuterol metered-dose inhalers are prescribed in Europe, most containing a hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellant.² Dry-powder . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Political and Regulatory Mandates

Differences in CFC and HFA Inhalers

Efficacy and Safety of HFA Inhalers

Economic Effect of the Transition to HFA Inhalers

Conclusions

Source Information

From the College of Pharmacy and the Pediatric Pulmonary Division, University of Florida, Gainesville (L.H.); the George Washington University School of Medicine and the Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC (G.L.C.); and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD (R.J.M.).

Address reprint requests to Dr. Hendeles at the University of Florida, Box 100486, Gainesville, FL 32610-0486, or at hendeles@cop.ufl.edu.

Related Letters:

Albuterol Inhalers
Gross N. J., Meyer R. J., Hendeles L., Colice G. L.
Extract | Full Text | PDF  
N Engl J Med 2007; 356:2749, Jun 28, 2007. Correspondence

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Fanta, C. H. (2009). Asthma. NEJM 360: 1002-1014 [Full Text]  
• Gross, N. J., Meyer, R. J., Hendeles, L., Colice, G. L. (2007). Albuterol Inhalers. NEJM 356: 2749-2749 [Full Text]