Lungs, allergy and cough
Beta-2 agonists
Used for
Asthma and COPD: open the airways
How it works
Relax the muscles around the airways. Short-acting ones (SABA) are rescue inhalers that work in minutes; long-acting ones (LABA) are taken daily for control.
Watch for
A LABA is never used alone for asthma. Shakiness and a fast heartbeat are common.
- Name clue
- -terol
- Examples
- albuterol (ProAir HFA, Ventolin HFA), rescue
- salmeterol, long-acting
- formoterol, long-acting
More in lungs, allergy and cough
A study and reference aid. Follow the product labeling and your pharmacist for anything about a patient's medicine.
Studying for the PTCE?
Drug classes are a big part of the Medications domain. Gutta's lessons and practice questions cover them, with an explanation for every answer.
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