Xopenex (levalbuterol) is an inhaled medication for the treatment of acute asthma symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness. Xopenex (which contains R-albuterol) is the active isomer of albuterol (which contains a racemic mixture of both R- and S-isomers) Xopenex was first developed because animal studies suggested that S-albuterol caused inflammation in the lungs, which could possibly worsen asthma. it was also thought that as more racemic albuterol (mixture of the R and S-albuterol isomers) was taken, the S-albuterol isomer would accumulate within the lungs and worsen asthma symptoms. Xopenex was therefore expected to work better at treating asthma symptoms than racemic albuterol.
Albuterol is well-known to cause certain side effects, including muscle tremors, jitteriness, palpitations and increased heart rate. Early studies on Xopenex suggested that because far less medicine was needed to achieve the same benefit as albuterol, fewer side effects would occur. In addition, it was initially thought that the S-albuterol isomer was primarily responsible for many of the albuterol side effects, and therefore Xopenex, which does not contain the S-albuterol isomer, would cause few side effects.
But more recent studies show something quite surprising…
Read more:
- Xopenex versus Albuterol
- Are ProAir, Ventolin and Proventil different?
- 8 Things You should Do for Your Asthma