Drugs › beta2-Adrenergic agonist
Generic name
Albuterol: adverse event reports filed with FDA
17,807 reports list it as a suspect or interacting product, 2004–2026. Class: beta2-Adrenergic agonist. Also reported as Albuterol Inhaler, Albuterol Inhalation, Albuterol /00139501/.
- 17,807
- reports as suspect product
- 0.1% of all reports · about 792 a year
- 2,401
- reports, 12 months to June 2026
- 3,240 in the 12 months before
- 72.9%
- marked serious by the reporter
- 40.5% across the class
- 9.2%
- record death among outcomes, as reported
- 1,635 reports · not verified by FDA
Between January 2004 and June 2026, 17,807 adverse event reports received by FDA list albuterol, a generic name as a suspect or interacting product. Reports that mention it only as a concomitant medication (114,736) are left out of every figure here.
In the 12 months to June 2026, 2,401 reports listed it, down 26% from 3,240 in the 12 months before. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases. Over its reporting history that is about 792 reports a year and 0.1% of the 20,646,523 reports in the database, and 19.4% of the reports for the beta2-Adrenergic agonist class. How many people take it is not in the data, so a count is not a rate of occurrence.
Reporters most often recorded dyspnoea (27.2%), asthma (26.8%) and wheezing (17.9%). A report can list several reactions, so shares add to more than 100%; 2,069 different terms appear across these reports. Dyspnoea is recorded in 27.2% of these reports, a larger share than in the median beta2-Adrenergic agonist drug (18%).
72.9% of the reports are marked serious by the reporter (40.5% across the class); 9.2% record death among the outcomes and 34.6% record hospitalisation, as reported. 45.5% of the reports came from consumers, and the largest patient age group is 45 to 64 (18.3%). FDA states that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report" and that for any given report "there is no certainty that a suspected drug caused the event."
Reports by month, five years
Reports by the month FDA received them. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases.
By year received
2026 covers reports received through June 2026 only.
Reactions recorded in the reports
share of Albuterol reports recording the termmedian drug in beta2-adrenergic agonist
- Dyspnoeashortness of breath27.2%4,842
- Asthmaasthma26.8%4,779
- Wheezingwheezing17.9%3,180
- Drug ineffectivethe medicine did not work as expected16.8%2,983
- Device delivery system issuea problem with the delivery system15.3%2,727
- Coughcough13.2%2,346
- Therapeutic product effect incomplete12.2%2,178
- Full blood count abnormal11%1,965
- Drug dose omission by device10.4%1,853
- Off label useused for a purpose or in a way not on the label10.4%1,848
- Headachehead pain8.2%1,460
- Hypertensionhigh blood pressure8%1,426
- Obstructive airways disorder7.8%1,392
- Productive cougha cough with phlegm7.3%1,299
- Condition aggravatedthe condition being treated got worse7.2%1,275
- Pneumonialung infection6.9%1,229
- Painpain, site not specified6.6%1,179
- Chest discomfortchest discomfort6.4%1,131
- Fatiguetiredness6%1,072
- Constipationconstipation5.8%1,029
- Gastrooesophageal reflux diseaseacid reflux5.7%1,016
- Drug hypersensitivityan allergic-type reaction to a medicine5.4%961
- Hypersensitivityan allergic-type reaction5.3%951
- Drug intolerancethe medicine was not tolerated5.2%933
- Anxietyanxiety5.1%912
- Malaisegeneral feeling of being unwell5%894
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseCOPD, a long-term lung disease4.9%879
- Pyrexiafever4.9%874
Top 30 of 2,069 MedDRA preferred terms recorded across these reports, with a plain-language gloss where one is available. One report can record several terms. The hollow bar is the median share across the 7 drugs in the beta2-adrenergic agonist class; it describes the reports, not the patients. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic."
Outcomes recorded
Outcome flags as the reporter set them; a report can carry several, and "other serious" is FDA's own category for serious reports outside the named outcomes. Grey bar: all 91,817 reports in the class. FDA has not verified any outcome and states that the reports "cannot be used to estimate the incidence of these events."
Patients and reporters
Patient age
Patient sex
Who reported
Age and sex as stated in the report; the reporter's qualification is the primary source recorded by FDA. 43.6% of reports give the United States as the country of the event or reporter.
Reason for use recorded
| Indication as recorded (MedDRA) | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Asthma | 3,453 | 19.4% |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 840 | 4.7% |
| Dyspnoea | 413 | 2.3% |
| Wheezing | 251 | 1.4% |
| Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis | 139 | 0.8% |
| Bronchitis | 118 | 0.7% |
The indication field is filled in by the reporter and is often blank; shares are of all 17,807 reports.
Drugs most often listed in the same reports
| Drug (any role in the report) | Reports | Share of Albuterol reports |
|---|---|---|
| Prednisone | 3,922 | 22% |
| Tiotropium bromide | 2,740 | 15.4% |
| Albuterol sulfate | 2,569 | 14.4% |
| Acetaminophen | 2,355 | 13.2% |
| Singulair | 2,066 | 11.6% |
| Furosemide | 1,890 | 10.6% |
| Budesonide | 1,834 | 10.3% |
| Advair Hfa | 1,679 | 9.4% |
| Nucala | 1,594 | 9% |
| Pantoprazole | 1,565 | 8.8% |
Other products listed in reports where Albuterol is a suspect product, whatever their own role. Co-listing means the two were recorded together; it says nothing about either product's part in the event. Only the 2,500 most-reported names are counted here.
In context
| Measure | Albuterol | beta2-Adrenergic agonist | All reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reports as suspect product | 17,807 | 91,817 | 20,646,523 |
| Share of that pool | — | 19.4% | 0.1% |
| Reports, latest 12 months | 2,401 | — | 1,332,454 |
| Marked serious | 72.9% | 40.5% | 57.4% |
| Death recorded among outcomes, per 1,000 reports | 92 | 46 | 91 |
| Hospitalisation recorded, per 1,000 reports | 346 | 192 | 213 |
| Consumer-filed share | 45.5% | 73.9% | 45.8% |
| Top term, share of reports | Dyspnoea 27.2% | median 18% | 2.7% |
Shares are of reports, not of patients treated. The number of people taking a product is not in the data, so none of these figures is a rate, and differences between columns reflect who takes a product, who reports and how long it has been sold. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic."
Other drugs in the beta2-adrenergic agonist class
| Drug | Name type | Reports | Latest 12 months | Marked serious |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuterol sulfate | generic | 44,777 | 4,209 | 36.7% |
| Ventolin Hfa | brand | 22,690 | 446 | 20.2% |
| Salmeterol xinafoate | generic | 2,557 | 48 | 53.5% |
| Formoterol fumarate | generic | 1,639 | 81 | 96.9% |
| ProAir RespiClick | brand | 1,611 | 5 | 9.1% |
| Levalbuterol tartrate | generic | 736 | 205 | 5.6% |
Ordered by report count for navigation only. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic." A brand and its generic are separate rows because reporters name them separately.
Questions about Albuterol reports
How many adverse event reports has FDA received for Albuterol?
17,807 reports list Albuterol as a suspect or interacting product in the openFDA FAERS release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through June 2026. 2,401 of them arrived in the latest 12 months. Another 114,736 list it only as a concomitant medication.
What reactions are recorded in Albuterol reports?
dyspnoea (27.2%), asthma (26.8%), wheezing (17.9%), drug ineffective (16.8%) and device delivery system issue (15.3%). These are MedDRA preferred terms coded from what the reporter described; a report can list several, and a term's presence is not a finding that Albuterol was responsible.
How serious are the reports?
72.9% are marked serious by the reporter. Among the outcomes recorded, 9.2% of reports include death and 34.6% include hospitalisation. FDA has not verified these outcomes and states that the reports "cannot be used to estimate the incidence" of the events.
Who files these reports?
consumer or non-health professional (45.5%), other health professional (31.4%) and physician (16.1%). Most reports reach FDA through the manufacturer, which must forward reports it receives.
Are reports for Albuterol rising?
2,401 reports in the 12 months to June 2026, down 26% from 3,240 in the 12 months before. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases. Counts also move with how many people take a product, its time on the market and publicity.
Do these reports show that Albuterol was responsible for these reactions?
No. FDA states that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report" and that for any given report "there is no certainty that a suspected drug caused the event." The reaction may relate to the condition being treated, to other medicines, or to something else.
Is this a list of the side effects of Albuterol?
No. It is a count of what was reported to FDA. The adverse reactions observed in clinical studies are printed on the FDA-approved label, which a pharmacist or clinician can go through with you.
How do I report an adverse event?
Consumers and health professionals can report to FDA through MedWatch (Form FDA 3500 online, or 1-800-FDA-1088), or to the manufacturer, which must pass reports on. See the guide on how to report.
Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Drug Adverse Event (FAERS) bulk export released 28 Sep 2026, which holds reports FDA received through 30 Jun 2026. Drug names are as reported, resolved to the brand or generic name on the FDA label where openFDA's harmonisation matched them; classes are the pharmacologic class (EPC) from the label and the National Drug Code Directory of 17 Sep 2026. A report counts here when it lists Albuterol as a suspect or interacting product; reports listing it only as a concomitant medication (114,736) are excluded. No report narrative, lot number, patient detail or reporter identity is published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.
Drug data (FAERS) through 30 Jun 2026; device data (MAUDE) through 31 Aug 2026. Not medical advice.