Xopenex HFA (levalbuterol tartrate) Inhalation Aerosol
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How to Use Your Xopenex HFA® Inhaler

Always use Xopenex HFA exactly as your doctor has instructed you. Xopenex HFA is for oral inhalation use only.

Keep Xopenex HFA and all medicines out of reach of children.

Parts of Your Inhaler

How the Parts of Your Xopenex HFA Inhaler

  1. Canister: Fits into the actuator. Do not place the canister under water to find out the amount of medicine left in the canister.

  2. Actuator: Holds the canister. Do not use the Xopenex HFA actuator with a canister of medicine from any other inhaler.

  3. Dose Indicator: The display window shows how many sprays of medicine are left in your inhaler. Each canister of Xopenex HFA contains enough medicine for you to spray your medicine 200 times. When the dose indicator display window shows a red zone, approximately 20 inhalations are left, and a refill is required.

  4. Mouthpiece: Releases the medicine when you press down on the center of the dose indicator.

  5. Cap: Keep the cap on between uses of Xopenex HFA.

Top view of the Xopenex HFA inhaler held in a hand, with its dose indicator labelled Top view pointer press here targeting rings dose indicator display window
Side view of the Xopenex HFA inhaler held in a hand, with its parts labelled Side view canister actuator cap dose indicator mouthpiece

Prepare Inhaler for Use

How to Prepare Your Xopenex HFA Inhaler for Use

  1. Your inhaler should be at room temperature before you use it.

  2. Shake the inhaler well before each use.

  3. Before you use Xopenex HFA for the first time, or if you haven’t taken your medicine for 3 days in a row, you must prime the inhaler.

How to Prime Your Inhaler

How to Prime Your Xopenex HFA Inhaler for Use

  1. Take the cap off the mouthpiece of the actuator. Check inside the mouthpiece for objects before use.

  2. Hold the inhaler in the upright position away from the face and shake the inhaler well.

  3. Press down fully on the center of the dose indicator to release a spray of medicine from the mouthpiece. You may hear a soft click from the dose indicator as it counts down during use.

  • Avoid spraying in your eyes.
  • Repeat the steps to prime 3 more times to finish priming your inhaler.

How to Use

How to Use Your Xopenex HFA Inhaler Properly

  1. Take the cap off the mouthpiece of the actuator. Check inside the mouthpiece for objects. Make sure the canister fits firmly in the actuator.

  2. Shake the inhaler well for 5 seconds before use.

  3. Hold the inhaler upright with mouthpiece pointing towards you. Before you put the mouthpiece in your mouth, breathe out through your mouth and push out as much air from your lungs as you can.

  4. Put the mouthpiece in your mouth and close your lips around it.

  5. While breathing in deeply and slowly, press down on the center of the targeting rings until a spray of medicine has been released. Then stop pressing the dose indicator.

  6. When you have finished breathing in, remove the mouthpiece from your mouth. Close your mouth and hold your breath for 10 seconds if possible. Then breathe out gently.

  7. Wait about 1 minute, then shake the inhaler well. Repeat steps 3 through 6 to take your second spray of Xopenex HFA.

  8. Put the cap back on the mouthpiece right away after use, making sure the cap snaps firmly back into place.

How to Clean

How to Clean Your Xopenex HFA Inhaler

Clean the inhaler once per week. It is important to keep the actuator clean so that medicine will not build up and block the spray from the mouthpiece

  1. Take the canister out of the actuator. Do not clean the canister or let it get wet.

  2. Take the cap off the mouthpiece.

  3. Hold the actuator under the faucet and run warm water through it for at least 30 seconds. Turn the actuator upside down and rinse the actuator again through the mouthpiece for at least 30 seconds.

  4. Shake off as much water from the actuator as you can.

  5. Look inside the actuator and mouthpiece to make sure any medicine build-up has been completely washed away. Medicine build-up is more likely to happen if the actuator is not allowed to air-dry completely.

  6. Let the actuator air-dry overnight. Do not put the canister back into the actuator if it’s still wet.

  7. When the actuator is dry, put the canister back in the actuator and put the cap back on the mouthpiece. Make sure to firmly press the canister down in the actuator.

Special Cases

Special Cases When Using Your Xopenex HFA Inhaler

  1. What if I need to use my inhaler before the plastic actuator is completely dry?

    • First, shake off as much water from the actuator as you can.
    • Put the canister back into the actuator and shake the inhaler well.
    • To remove most of the water from your inhaler, press down on the center of the targeting ring 2 times to release a total of 2 sprays into the air away from your face.
    • Take your prescribed dose of medicine.
    • Repeat steps 1 through 7 to clean your inhaler.

  2. What if the actuator is blocked?

    • If the actuator is blocked, that means little to no medicine is coming out of the mouthpiece.
    • Repeat steps 1 through 7 to clean your inhaler.

Affordability Savings Card

The Xopenex HFA
Savings Card

$25* for eligible commercially insured patients.

$40* for eligible Direct Access patients.

Download card

* Per fill. Not valid for any person eligible for reimbursement of prescriptions, in whole or in part, by any state or federally funded program, including Medicare, Medigap, or Medicaid, or where prohibited, taxed or otherwise restricted by law.

Important Safety Information

What is Xopenex HFA?

  • Xopenex HFA is an inhaled prescription medicine used for the treatment and prevention of asthma in people 4 years of age and older.
  • Xopenex HFA has not been shown to be safe and effective in children under 4 years of age.

Who should not use Xopenex HFA?

You should not use Xopenex HFA if you are allergic to levalbuterol, racemic albuterol, or any of the ingredients in Xopenex HFA.

What should I tell my doctor before taking Xopenex HFA?

Before you use Xopenex HFA, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

  • Have heart problems.
  • Have high blood pressure.
  • Have seizures.
  • Have diabetes.
  • Have thyroid problems.
  • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Xopenex HFA will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
  • Are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. It is not known if Xopenex HFA passes into your breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you use Xopenex HFA.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

  • Other inhaled medicines or asthma medicines
  • Heart medicines
  • Medicines that increase urination (diuretics)
  • Antidepressants
  • Medicines to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

What are the possible side effects of Xopenex HFA?

Xopenex HFA can cause serious side effects including:

  • Sudden shortness of breath (bronchospasm)
  • Worsening asthma
  • Heart problems
  • Death
  • Serious allergic reactions
  • Low potassium levels in your blood

The most common side effects of Xopenex HFA include:

  • Accidental injury
  • Bronchitis
  • Dizziness
  • Pain
  • Sore throat
  • Runny nose
  • Vomiting
  • Palpitations
  • Chest pain
  • Fast heart rate
  • Tremors
  • Nervousness

These are not all the possible side effects of Xopenex HFA. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report potential side effects of prescription drugs to FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch also at 1‑800‑FDA‑1088, or to Lupin Pharmaceuticals at 1‑800‑399‑2561.