Terbutaline Injection

Conditions Treated

Terbutaline injection is used to treat wheezing, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties caused by asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. Terbutaline is in a class of medications called beta agonists. It works by relaxing and opening the airways, making it easier to breathe.

Possible Side Effects

What Side Effects Can This Cause?

Terbutaline injection may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
• nervousness
• dizziness
• drowsiness
• weakness
• headache
• nausea
• vomiting
• sweating
• flushing (feeling of warmth)
• pain at the injection site

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

• increased difficulty breathing
• tightening of the throat
• fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat
• chest pain
• seizures

Terbutaline injection may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while receiving this medication.If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

Usage Instructions

How Should This Medication Be Used

Terbutaline injection comes as a solution (liquid) to inject under the skin. It is usually given by a doctor or nurse in a medical facility when needed to treat symptoms of asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema. If the symptoms do not improve within 15-30 minutes after the first dose, another dose may be given. If the symptoms do not improve within 15-30 minutes after the second dose, a different treatment should be used.

What Dietary Instructions Should I Follow

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

Are There Any Special Instructions

Before receiving terbutaline injection, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to terbutaline, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in terbutaline injection. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: beta blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin), carteolol (Cartrol), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal), sotalol (Betapace), and timolol (Blocadren); certain diuretics ('water pills'); other medications for asthma; and medications for colds, appetite control, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Also tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medications or if you have stopped taking them in the past 2 weeks: tricyclic antidepressants including amitriptyline, amoxapine, clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin, imipramine (Tofranil), maprotiline, nortriptyline (Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) including isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had an irregular heartbeat, heart disease, high blood pressure, an overactive thyroid gland, diabetes, or seizures.