Navigation

Atrovent vs. Spiriva HandiHaler

Are Atrovent and Spiriva HandiHaler the Same Thing?

Atrovent HFA (ipratropium bromide HFA) and Spiriva HandiHaler (tiotropium bromide) are anticholinergic bronchodilators used for maintenance and treatment of bronchospasm associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis, and emphysema.

Side effects of Atrovent HFA and Spiriva HandiHaler that are similar include dry mouth, cold symptoms (stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat), upset stomach, or constipation.

Side effects of Atrovent HFA that are different from Spiriva HandiHaler include headache, hoarseness, cough, sinus pain, nausea, back pain, fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, blurred vision, and dizziness.

Side effects of Spiriva HandiHaler that are different from Atrovent HFA include vomiting, nosebleed, or muscle pain.

Both Atrovent HFA and Spiriva HandiHaler may interact with other bronchodilators, medications to treat excess stomach acid, or medications to treat stomach ulcer, motion sickness, or irritable bowel syndrome.

What Are Possible Side Effects of Atrovent?

Common side effects of Atrovent include:

  • headache
  • dry mouth
  • hoarseness
  • cough
  • stuffy nose
  • sinus pain
  • nausea
  • upset stomach
  • constipation
  • back pain
  • fever
  • chills
  • body aches
  • flu symptoms
  • blurred vision, and
  • dizziness

Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Atrovent HFA including bronchospasm (wheezing, chest tightness, trouble breathing), eye pain, seeing halos around lights, pain or burning when you urinate, urinating less than usual or not at all, or worsening of your symptoms.

What Are Possible Side Effects of Spiriva HandiHaler?

Common side effects of Spiriva HandiHaler include:

  • dry mouth,
  • constipation,
  • upset stomach,
  • vomiting,
  • cold symptoms (stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat),
  • nosebleed, or
  • muscle pain.

Tell your doctor if you have any serious side effects of Spiriva HandiHaler including:

What Is Atrovent?

Atrovent HFA (ipratropium bromide HFA) is an anticholinergic bronchodilator, packaged in an inhaler, used for maintenance and treatment of bronchospasm associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. Atrovent HFA is available as a generic termed ipratropium bromide.

What Is Spiriva HandiHaler?

Spiriva HandiHaler (tiotropium bromide) Inhalation Powder is an anticholinergic drug used to prevent bronchospasm (narrowing of the airways in the lungs) in people with bronchitis, emphysema, or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

What Drugs Interact With Atrovent?

Atrovent HFA may interact with other bronchodilators. Atrovent HFA may also interact with bladder or urinary medicines, cold or allergy medicines that contain an antihistamine, medications for Parkinson's disease, or medications to treat excess stomach acid, stomach ulcer, motion sickness, or irritable bowel syndrome.

What Drugs Interact With Spiriva HandiHaler?

Spiriva may interact with atropine, belladonna, cimetidine, clidinium, dicyclomine, glycopyrrolate, hyoscyamine, mepenzolate, methantheline, methscopolamine, propantheline, or scopolamine. Tell your doctor all medications you use. During pregnancy, Spiriva should be used only when prescribed. It is unknown if this medication passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

How Should Atrovent Be Taken?

The usual starting dose of ATROVENT HFA is two inhalations four times a day. Patients may take additional inhalations as required; however, the total number of inhalations should not exceed 12 in 24 hours.

How Should Spiriva HandiHaler Be Taken?

The recommended dose of Spiriva HandiHaler is two inhalations of the powder contents of one Spiriva capsule, once-daily, with the HandiHaler device.

Disclaimer

All drug information provided on RxList.com is sourced directly from drug monographs published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Any drug information published on RxList.com regarding general drug information, drug side effects, drug usage, dosage, and more are sourced from the original drug documentation found in its FDA drug monograph.

Drug information found in the drug comparisons published on RxList.com is primarily sourced from the FDA drug information. The drug comparison information found in this article does not contain any data from clinical trials with human participants or animals performed by any of the drug manufacturers comparing the drugs.

The drug comparisons information provided does not cover every potential use, warning, drug interaction, side effect, or adverse or allergic reaction. RxList.com assumes no responsibility for any healthcare administered to a person based on the information found on this site.

As drug information can and will change at any time, RxList.com makes every effort to update its drug information. Due to the time-sensitive nature of drug information, RxList.com makes no guarantees that the information provided is the most current.

Any missing drug warnings or information does not in any way guarantee the safety, effectiveness, or the lack of adverse effects of any drug. The drug information provided is intended for reference only and should not be used as a substitute for medical advice.

If you have specific questions regarding a drug’s safety, side effects, usage, warnings, etc., you should contact your doctor or pharmacist, or refer to the individual drug monograph details found on the FDA.gov or RxList.com websites for more information.

You may also report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA by visiting the FDA MedWatch website or calling 1-800-FDA-1088.