Is this being used in hospitals to help with RDS? We hear quite a bit about Hydroxychloroquine and zinc but not much about albuterol. I'm hearing there's shortages of it for asthmatic patients. Wonder if this is used to boost patients before things get worse.

Albuterol is a very common inhaled medication to use for pulmonary toilet of ventilated/respiratory failure patients. It's usually used in combination with hypertonic saline and sometimes some other meds. On any given day if I were to walk through the ICU/IMU at my programs hospital and look at the charts of the respiratory patients, the better question would be which one of them wasn't getting albuterol for airway clearance.

Our PUI/Covid patients here are using Albuterol MDIs instead of nebs. Can't think of one I've taken care of who wasn't on it. Seems to be fairly effective at relieving dyspnea.

Have to be careful giving to CHF patients as it can exacerbate.

Moxley said:

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Our PUI/Covid patients here are using Albuterol MDIs instead of nebs. Can't think of one I've taken care of who wasn't on it. Seems to be fairly effective at relieving dyspnea.

Have to be careful giving to CHF patients as it can exacerbate.

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Isn't the concern that using a Nebulizer it could aerosol COVID19?

Yes. We are trying to protect from aerosols and it helps out our RTs by reducing their exposure as well. Fewer people in and out. Nurses can administer or (often) we are leaving at bedside for patients to give it to themselves.

Except now the MDI I believe is on a shortage

tv1113 said:

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Except now the MDI I believe is on a shortage

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I am not treating these patients in the ICU/Hospital as I am an outpatient pedi but I know there is an albuterol MDI shortage and they are not using nebs on non-intubated patients. On intubated patients they can use a "closed loop" nebulizer and non of the nebulized air gets out of the tubing so it is safe for staff.

This is gleaned from daily hospital e-mails talking about this very topic and voting on changing RT policies.

I used albuterol in both inhaler and nebulizer form. and Advair.

Nebulizer gave me more relief than the inhaler.

aggie1819 said:

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I used albuterol in both inhaler and nebulizer form. and Advair.

Nebulizer gave me more relief than the inhaler.

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Did you ever try with a spacer? Good data shows that MDI is equivalent unless your are wheezing so badly that you cannot take and hold a deep breath.

Yes I have used a spacer. The felt relief was hands down better with nebulizer and it was not even close.

Things that brought relief to me:
Nebulizer
Breathing Steam
Netti Pot