Why Are Epinephrine Inhalers Being Discontinued?

For decades epinephrine inhalers have been sold over-the-counter. You may be more familiar with the name, Primatene Mist, which is the OTC trade name for epinephrine aerosol inhalers that are propelled with CFC (chlorofluorocarbons). Production will be stopped and you won't be able to buy Primatene Mist after December 31, of this year (2011). The CFC that propels the epinephrine inhalers is being discontinued because it causes depletion of the ozone layer. Why is this important? Ozone is a layer of triple bonded oxygen molecules; this layer of ozone protects the earth from ultraviolet radiation. Ozone causes the majority of the harmful ultraviolet rays to bounce back into space. Scientists that study the atmosphere discovered that chlorofluorocarbons are one of the culprits that cause ozone depletion.

Asthma is a serious condition; thus treatment for asthma should not be done through self-medicating with over-the-counter products without the guidance of a physician. If you have asthma symptoms, and use epinephrine inhalers for asthma, you should consult with your physician for proper treatment. Asthma is an inflammatory disease that can be chronic. In order to be properly diagnosed and treated you must be seen by a physician. Oftentimes, allergens such as pet dander, dust, dust mites, and cigarette smoke are what triggers asthma symptoms. Asthma can become fatal if not treated correctly. Epinephrine inhalers for asthma should not be used, not only for what they do to the atmosphere, but it's not good to inhale chlorofluorocarbons because they are toxins and can cause coughing, irregular heartbeat, and other health problems.

My dad used to be a smoker; he developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) before he finally quit smoking. As a result of the COPD, he was a very bad asthmatic. The only inhaler he used was an over-the-counter epinephrine inhaler. His doctor prescribed asthma medications, and he filled the theophylline tablets and other breathing meds, but would never get the inhalers for asthma filled at the pharmacy. He thought because the OTC inhaler was cheaper that it was good enough to treat his condition. More times than not, after taking a couple of puffs of the inhaler, he would go into coughing spells that would not stop until he passed out from lack of oxygen in his lungs. Once he was coughing so bad, and trying to make it to the bathroom, and he fell and hit his head on the toilet. He woke up within a couple of minutes and he wasn't coughing anymore. He thought that the medication did him some good, even if he did cough and pass out. He never reported this to his doctor, and he never told his doctor that he used Primatene Mist instead of the Albuterol and Combivent inhalers for asthma that were prescribed.

Since CFC propelled epinephrine inhalers will be off the market by the end of this year, there are offers on the Net to buy them now while you can. I would like to caution you to consult with your doctor before you buy Primatene Mist. I'm not advising you not to use it, but I am asking that you consult your physician. Your doctor can prescribe inhalers for asthma that don't contain chlorofluorocarbons. I'm an asthmatic, and I use Flovent and Combivent. These drugs do not have any CFCs in them. The asthma inhalers that once had CFCs were phased out and reproduced with safer propellants.

Why would people use OTC epinephrine inhalers instead of using prescribed inhalers for asthma? One reason could be financial. Some people still don't have health insurance. The cost of prescription inhalers for asthma can cost $60 or more, which is about 3 times more than what an OTC epinephrine inhaler can be bought for. Another reason could be that individuals don't have a family doctor; this may also be due to not having medical insurance, or not having enough insurance. There are also some individuals that just don't like going to doctors and will avoid them at all cost. The problem here is that if individuals don't have doctors, they may be self-diagnosing and could cause irreparable harm to themselves.

Sources:

CFCs and Ozone Depletion

Primatene Mist to be Discontinued