Theophylline is a medicine indicated for the treatment or prevention of asthma or bronchospasm due to obstructive airway diseases, such as DOPC, for example, as it acts by relaxing the muscles of the bronchi and pulmonary blood vessels, thus facilitating the entry of air into the lungs.
This medicine can be found in the form of capsules containing 100 mg or 200 mg of theophylline, sold in pharmacies under the trade name Teolong.
Theophylline should be used under the guidance of a pulmonologist and may be recommended for adults or children over 16 years of age.
What is it for
Theophylline is indicated for the treatment or prevention of:
- Asma;
- Bronchospasm caused by obstructive airway diseases such as DOPC.
This remedy should be used with the advice of a pulmonologist and medical supervision, to assess the effectiveness of the treatment and the emergence of side effects.
If you would like to see a pulmonologist, make an appointment in the nearest region:
How to drink
Theophylline capsule should be taken orally, with a glass of water, after a meal, once a day. If necessary, the capsule can be opened and the microgranules swallowed without chewing.
Recommended doses for adults or adolescents over 16 years of age range from 11 to 13 mg per kg of body weight, per day, and must be calculated by a pulmonologist.
During treatment with theophylline, the doctor must request tests that measure the levels of this medicine in the blood, which must be between 8 and 20 mcg/mL, in order to assess the response to treatment and the emergence of side effects.
Possible side effects
The most common side effects of theophylline are lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, insomnia or tremors.
In cases of overdose, in which theophylline concentration in the blood is greater than 20 mcg/mL, restlessness, headache, dizziness, cardiac arrhythmia, convulsions or heart failure may occur. In these cases, you should go to the hospital immediately.
Who shouldn’t use
Theophylline should not be used by children under 16 years of age, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or by people who have recently had a heart attack or who have acute tachycardia.
Furthermore, this remedy should not be used by people who are allergic to theophylline or any other component of the capsules.
Theophylline should only be used under medical indication and with caution in cases of unstable angina, severe high blood pressure, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, seizure disorders, porphyria, stomach or intestinal ulcers, risk of tachyarrhythmia or liver or kidney failure.
Bibliography
- ANVISA. Teolong (theophylline) 100 mg and 200 mg capsules. 2021. Available at: <https://consultas.anvisa.gov.br/#/bulario/q/?nomeProduto=TEOLONG>. Accessed on 25 Sep 2023
