Can you take albuterol sulfate for pneumonia? (+3 drugs)
By
Ivan Kahwa
Author bio
Mr Ivan Kahwa is a chemist and phytopharmaceutical scientist with expertise in chemistry, pharmacology, phytochemistry, and Nanobiotechnology. He writes and reviews content on these topics.
Mr Ivan Kahwa’s Highlights:
Guest Researcher at the University of Leipzig, Senior Research Fellow/Scientist, and Lecturer at the Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology.
Professional Experience:
Mr Ivan joined PHARMBIOTRAC as a research fellow/scientist during his master of science tenure. He contributed to the development of most of the phytopharmaceutical products in the project. Furthermore, he participated in carrying out the pharmacological activities of the developed products in laboratory animals such as mice and rats in order to develop proper doses hence leading to pre-clinical studies.
With the above relevant research experience, Ivan started to work with the University of Leipzig on collaborative projects with Mbarara University to develop the chemistry of Ugandan Medicinal plants and their pharmacological activities. This was coupled with several consultative positions by different German NGOs. Mr. Kahwa is also a supporting in the teaching and learning at the Departments of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology.
With the increase in antimicrobial resistance globally, Ivan retooled his thinking towards developing new naturally derived antibiotic regimens from Ugandan propolis with the assistance of nanotechnology to improve their delivery to microbial cells. Kahwa has also published over 28 articles in peer-reviewed journals and he is currently reviewing for many journals.
Education:
2023-2027: PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (ongoing) with a focus on Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Nanobiology at Mbarara University of Science and Technology.
2022: 2Msc. in Pharmacognosy and Natural Medicine Science at Mbarara University of Science and Technology.
2018: Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) at Mbarara University of Science and Technology.
Publications:
▪ Iqbal, S., Jabeen, F., Kahwa, I., & Omara, T. 2023. Suberosin Alleviates Thiazolidinedione-Induced Cardiomyopathy in Diabetic Rats by Inhibiting Ferroptosis via Modulation of ACSL4-LPCAT3 and PI3K-AKT Signaling Pathways. Cardiovascular Toxicology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12012-023-09804-7
▪ Gupta, A. K., Yadav, R., Sharma, S., Sawale, J., & Kahwa, I. 2023. Anti-ageing Activity and Antioxidant Activity of Methanol Extracts of Leaves and Flowers of Salvia officinalis and Rosmarinus officinalis. Journal of Young Pharmacists, 15(3), 448–455. https://doi.org/10.5530/jyp.2023.15.60
▪ Tolo, C.U., Kahwa, I., Nuwagira, U., Weisheit, A. and Ikiriza, H., 2023. Medicinal plants used in treatment of various diseases in the Rwenzori Region, Western Uganda. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 25, pp.1-16.
https://ethnobotanyjournal.org/index.php/era/article/view/4683
▪ Kahwa, I., Ajayi, C.O., Yadav, R., Chauhan, N.S., Shah, K., Abdelgadir, A.A., Shegena, E.A., Daniel, S., Omara, T., Asiimwe, J.B. and Ikiriza, H., 2023. Pharmacognostic and phytochemical studies as an invaluable approach for correct identification of medicinal plants: The case of Artemisia vulgaris L. substituted for Artemisia annua L. in Western Uganda. TMR Integr Med, 7, p.e23004.
https://doi.org/10.53388/TMRIM202307004
▪ Nalimu, F., Oloro, J., Kahwa, I. and Ogwang, P.E., 2021. Review on the phytochemistry and toxicological profiles of Aloe vera and Aloe ferox. Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 7, pp.1-21.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s43094-021-00296-2
▪ Elamin, O.H.S., Ali, M.A., Elgezuli, I.A.A., Bashir, M.A. and Kahwa, I., 2021. Diagnosis of pre-and post-treatment of echinococcus granulosus with counter current immune electrophoresis and bacterial co-agglutination. Journal of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 11(02), pp.88-94.
https://doi.org/10.5799/jmid.951600
Published book Chapter
▪ Kahwa, I., Ayesiga, I., Nakalema, S., Alinaiswe, R., Mbabazi, R. and Iqbal, S., 2023. Natural products in the management of onchocerciasis. In Natural Products in Vector-Borne Disease Management (pp. 63-80). Academic Press. Book Chapter.
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91942-5.00012-4
Submitted manuscripts Under Review:
▪ Comparison of the Wound Healing Activity of the Leaf and Leaf Ash Extracts of Vernonia amygdalina in Rats. Journal name: Clinical Phytoscience
▪ Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal plants used in the management of cancer in Uganda. Journal name: Journal of Herbal Medicine
▪ Ethnobotanical survey and phytochemical screening of medicinal plants used in treatment of epilepsy by PROMETRA-Uganda Traditional Health Practitioners in Mpigi District, Uganda. Journal name: Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Submitted book chapters under review
1.Book title: Algae as a Natural Solution for Water-Food-Energy Nexus, Section 4: Microalgae and cyanobacteria for food applications, Chapter 4.6: Safety, toxicological and allergenic aspects of using algae for food. Authors: Christine Kyarimpa, Tom Omute, Caroline K. Nakiguli, Alice V. Khanakwa4, Christopher Angiro, Ivan Kahwa, Fortunate Ahumuza, Timothy Omara*. Publisher: Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721, Singapore.
2.Book title: Nutraceuticals Inspiring the Contemporary Therapy for Lifestyle Diseases. Chapter: Nutraceutical applications of Seaweeds and their Phytocompounds in Nutrition and Treatment of Diseases. Authors: Ivan Kahwa, Timothy Omara , Innocent Ayesiga , Gael Noel Neh Neba Ambe , Zehbanaz Javidbhai Panwala , Rachel Mbabazi , Shabnoor Iqbal , Christine Kyarimpa , Christine Betty Nagawa , Kamal Shah ,Nagendra Singh Chauhan* Publisher: CRC Press
You can view my works on the following professional sites:
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ivan-Kahwa
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=tOwrvqoAAAAJ&hl=en
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6440-3437
Linkedin: https://de.linkedin.com/in/ivan-kahwa-865450159
In this article, we will explore whether you can take albuterol sulphate for the treatment of pneumonia or not, how albuterol sulphate can be helpful for pneumonia, what are the treatment options for pneumonia and what are the potential side effects of taking albuterol sulphate.
Can you take albuterol sulfate for pneumonia?
Yes, albuterol sulfate can be used for symptomatic treatment of pneumonia. Albuterol sulfate cannot treat pneumonia itself but some symptoms of pneumonia such as shortness of breath or coughing can be managed by using albuterol sulphate (1).
Pneumonia is an infection caused by a specific microbe (2). Albuterol sulphate cannot kill these microbes, thereby treating the condition. It can only provide a symptomatic treatment for the breathing issues encountered by the patient as albuterol sulfate is a bronchodilator. Antibiotics are the main treatment options for pneumonia.
If you have pneumonia, it is advised to consult your healthcare provider to get the most suitable treatment option for you. Self-medication is not the right treatment choice. Your doctor needs to evaluate and examine a lot of factors to prescribe you a safe and effective treatment strategy.
How can albuterol sulfate help with pneumonia?
Albuterol sulfate cannot treat pneumonia. However, it can help manage the symptoms of pneumonia in patients.
Bronchodilatory effect
In pneumonia, the microbial agent can cause inflammation, swelling and bronchoconstriction (3). Albuterol sulfate is a bronchodilator that helps open up the airways by relaxing the muscles of the airways so that you can breathe easily. This helps in relieving the condition.
Delivery of drugs to the site of action
Due to the constriction of airways, the inhaled medications taken to kill or retard the growth of the microbe faces difficulty reaching the lungs. Using albuterol sulfate opens up the airways and helps in the proper delivery of the inhaled medication to the targetted site.
It is important to note that albuterol sulphate can be used as an adjunctive treatment for patients with pneumonia. It cannot be used as a sole treatment drug because albuterol sulfate does not kill or retard the growth of the causative agent in the lungs.
What medications are used to treat pneumonia?
Pneumonia is treated by antibiotics as the complete recovery of the patient requires the elimination of the causative agent. However, the choice of the correct antibiotic depends upon various factors such as individual sensitivity, and allergies to any specific class of the drug or condition of the patients.
Antibiotics
Here are some antibiotics commonly used to treat pneumonia (4).
Macrolides: If pneumonia is caused by bacteria, then azithromycin, clarithromycin or erythromycin may be used. These drugs are effective against different types of bacteria (5).
Fluoroquinolones: If the infection of pneumonia is acquired outside of the hospital setting, your doctor will prescribe you fluoroquinolones such as levofloxacin and moxifloxacin (6).
Penicillins or cephalosporins: If a patient is not allergic or tolerant to these classes of antibiotics then your doctor may prescribe amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime (7) (8).
Tetracyclines: Your doctor can prescribe you doxycycline for treating your pneumonia as well. (9)
If you are prescribed a certain antibiotic, it is important to take the full course and not quit your medications mid-way just because you think the condition has been treated. This can create tolerance in your body to that class of drugs.
Adjunctive treatments
Antibiotics, being the core treatment strategy, must be prescribed to treat pneumonia. However, in severe cases, adjunctive treatment strategies are also prescribed and used. These options may include:
Bronchodilators: Bronchodilators are used for easy breathing and are often used when there is a concurrent diagnosis of asthma or COPD as well. This class includes albuterol, salmeterol and formoterol.
Corticosteroids: Steroids like prednisone or methylprednisone are often used in some patients to treat inflammation due to severe pneumonia.
Antipyretics: Antipyretics and analgesics are also prescribed to patients suffering from pneumonia to treat the fever and deal with the pain caused by it. These analgesics and antipyretics include drugs such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
In severe cases, where breathing becomes harder and blood oxygen level drops, supplemental oxygen may be used.
What are the potential side effects of albuterol sulfate?
Like every medication, despite its potential therapeutic effect, albuterol sulfate also has some potential side effects. These may include (10):
- Tremors
- Headaches
- Muscle cramps
- Nervousness
- Anxiety
- Increased heart rate
- Dry mouth
- Insomnia
- Allergic reactions
- Hypokalemia
- Changes in blood pressure
- Increased heart rate
Albuterol sulfate is usually used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) due to its bronchodilatory effect. Albuterol sulfate should only be used under the careful guidance of your healthcare provider in order to avoid potential side effects.
In my opinion, pneumonia is an infectious disease that is caused by a microbial agent and it affects the lungs and the airways causing inflammation and sputum, making it hard to breathe. Albuterol does not break the mucus or kill the microbial agent but it relieves the inflammation and makes it easier to breathe for you.
However, this drug should not be self-prescribed due to its side effect profile. You need to consult your healthcare provider in order to get the most suitable treatment plan tailored to your conditions and requirements for a full recovery.
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References
1.-
Johnson, D. B. (2022, September 24). Albuterol. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482272/
2.-
Jain, V. (2023, July 31). Pneumonia Pathology. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526116/#:~:text=Bacterial%20pneumonia%20is%20associated%20with,concomitant%20involvement%20of%20the%20pleura.
3.-
Mackenzie G. The definition and classification of pneumonia. Pneumonia (Nathan). 2016;8:14. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Reference list]
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Evidence for recommendations for treatment of pneumonia. (2012). Recommendations for Management of Common Childhood Conditions – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK138320/
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Vergis EN, Yu VL. Macrolides are ideal for empiric therapy of community-acquired pneumonia in the immunocompetent host. Semin Respir Infect. 1997 Dec;12(4):322-8. PMID: 9436959.
6.-
Vardakas, K. Z., Siempos, I. I., Grammatikos, A., Athanassa, Z., Korbila, I. P., & Falagas, M. E. (2008). Respiratory fluoroquinolones for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l’Association medicale canadienne, 179(12), 1269–1277. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.080358
7.-
Peterson LR. Penicillins for treatment of pneumococcal pneumonia: does in vitro resistance really matter? Clin Infect Dis. 2006 Jan 15;42(2):224-33. doi: 10.1086/497594. Epub 2005 Dec 13. PMID: 16355333.
8.-
Lupia, T., Corcione, S., Mornese Pinna, S., & De Rosa, F. G. (2020). New cephalosporins for the treatment of pneumonia in internal medicine wards. Journal of thoracic disease, 12(7), 3747–3763. https://doi.org/10.21037/jtd-20-417
9.-
Bidell, M. R., Pai, M. A. P., & Lodise, T. P. (2020). Use of Oral Tetracyclines in the Treatment of Adult Patients with Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia: A Literature Review on the Often-Overlooked Antibiotic Class. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland), 9(12), 905. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics9120905
10.-
Berlinski A. Pediatric Aerosol Therapy. Respir Care. 2017 Jun;62(6):662-677. [PubMed] [Reference list]
