Zempreon

What is Zempreon?

Zempreon is what’s known as a reliever puffer. This means that you use it when you’re experiencing symptoms of asthma, and it gets to work quickly in order to open up your airways and help you to breathe more easily. This makes it different from preventer inhalers, which you take every day in order to reduce the likelihood of your symptoms from appearing.

It contains the active ingredient Salbutamol, a tried and tested medication that’s been proven to provide fast and effective symptom relief. You can also take it before exercise in order to prevent symptoms from appearing if you have exercise-induced asthma.

How does Zempreon work?

Zempreon’s active ingredient, Salbutamol, is what’s called a bronchodilator. Bronchodilators work by relaxing the muscles that line the airways to your lungs. This widens the pathways that have been constricted by your asthma, allowing you to breathe easier.

How to use Zempreon

You should always use your Zempreon puffer exactly as you’ve been instructed to by your clinician.

If you’re using it for the first time, you’ll need to test it first to make sure that it works properly. To do this, release four puffs into the air until the counter reads 200. If you haven’t used the puffer in five days or more, or you’ve dropped it, you should release two sprays into the air to make sure it works.

Each time your Zempreon puffer is activated the counter will decrease by one. In some cases dropping your puffer will cause the counter to go down.

Before using your Zempreon puffer, remove the mouthpiece cover and check that it’s clean and clear. You should then shake your puffer to make sure that the ingredients in the canister are properly mixed.

Hold your puffer vertically with your thumb underneath it and your index finger at the top. Then breathe out and bring the mouthpiece to your mouth - creating a seal around it with your lips. When you’re ready, push down on the button at the top of your inhaler with your index finger and inhale. Hold your breath for as long as is comfortable. If you’re taking another puff, wait around 30 seconds before repeating the process.

Once you’ve finished using your puffer, replace the mouthpiece cover.

How long does it take Zempreon to work?

Zempreon should get to work quickly, providing most people with effective symptom relief within 5-15 minutes of using it, though it’s at its most effective between 1 and 1.5 hours after you use it. It should work in your body for around 3-6 hours.

If you’re still struggling with symptoms after using your prescribed dose of Zempreon, let a clinician know straight away.

What should I do if I make a mistake when using Zempreon?

If you accidentally take too many puffs of Zempreon and experience symptoms like an increase in heart rate, a headache or feeling shaky, seek medical help straight away.

Medically reviewed by

Dr Daniel Atkinson

GP Clinical Lead

on August 02, 2022.

Meet Daniel