Common Medicaid respiratory agent prescriptions by product 2016-2017

Approximately 8.3 million prescriptions were written to Medicaid patients for the branded respiratory medicine Ventolin HFA in 2017, which was an increase of around 1.3 million on the previous year. Prescriptions for Montelukast Sodium and Albuterol Sulfate also increased between 2016 and 2017.

What is Ventolin HFA used for?

Ventolin HFA is an inhaled medicine used to treat or prevent bronchospasm in patients with reversible obstructive airway disease, which is a type of respiratory disease. Examples of obstructive airway disease include asthma and bronchitis. Ventolin HFA is branded by global pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline and was one of the leading asthma medicines worldwide in 2018.

COVID-19: An infectious respiratory disease

Coronaviruses, such as the one that causes COVID-19, can give rise to mild respiratory infections, and people might experience symptoms that include a cough, fever, and difficulty breathing. However, for some individuals with underlying medical conditions, the risks are higher. People with asthma or bronchitis are more vulnerable and have been advised to take extra steps to protect themselves. In the United States during March 2020, asthma was commonly reported as a pre-existing condition among patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms.