Formoterol
ATI-format individual drug card with NCLEX-focused assessment, safety, teaching, and source attribution.
Formoterol
ATI class: Long-acting beta2 agonist bronchodilator
Action
- ATI/source-folder candidate for Formoterol; verify mechanism against the source table before validation.
Therapeutic use
- Review under Lower Respiratory Tract Disorders medication safety.
Nursing assessment
- Assess baseline respiratory status, inhaler use pattern, heart rate, tremor, and potassium risk when relevant.
- Confirm client understands controller versus rescue use.
- Monitor for paradoxical bronchospasm, chest pain, palpitations, or worsening dyspnea.
Administration
- Verify route against the order and source table.
Side effects
- Verify common side effects against the source table.
Adverse effects
- Tachycardia
- Tremor
- Hypokalemia
- Paradoxical bronchospasm
- Headache
Interactions
- Beta blockers can reduce bronchodilator effect.
- MAOIs or tricyclic antidepressants may increase cardiovascular effects.
- Other sympathomimetics can increase tachycardia or tremor.
Contraindications
- See source-specific contraindications and precautions before administration.
Precautions
- Acute bronchospasm without a rescue medication plan
- Uncontrolled dysrhythmia or significant cardiac disease requires caution.
- Use in asthma generally requires appropriate anti-inflammatory controller therapy per source.
Client teaching
- Do not use as a quick-relief inhaler unless the prescribed product and instructions specifically say otherwise.
- Keep rescue inhaler available.
- Report chest pain, severe palpitations, or worsening breathing.
Medication outcomes
- Therapeutic response with no priority adverse effects.
Antidote / rescue
- No specific antidote is seeded; hold/question unsafe doses and manage toxicity per provider, facility, or poison-control guidance.
NCLEX priority cues
- Rescue inhaler comes before controller inhaler during acute symptoms.
- Silent chest, cyanosis, exhaustion, or inability to speak are emergency cues.
- Paradoxical bronchospasm requires stopping the medication and urgent review.
Medication classes
Source attribution
Related study cards
Shows the medication class, ATI cues, source references, and connected study cards for this drug.
Opens narrowed airways by relaxing bronchial smooth muscle or reducing vagal bronchoconstriction.
ATI medication precaution concept.
ATI medication nursing assessment concept.
ATI medication mechanism of action concept.
ATI medication interaction concept.
ATI medication nursing assessment concept.
ATI medication client teaching concept.
ATI medication adverse effect concept.
ATI medication adverse effect concept.
ATI medication client teaching concept.
ATI medication class concept.
ATI medication interaction concept.