Key takeaways
Spiriva (tiotropium) and levalbuterol (Xopenex) are both inhaled medications used to help with breathing problems, but they work differently and are used for different purposes. Spiriva is a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) that helps control chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma by relaxing the muscles in your airways. Spiriva Respimat is a metered-dose inhaler, while Spiriva Handihaler is an inhaler that requires you to place a capsule of the medication into the device before using it. Both are typically used once a day, but only Spiriva HandiHaler is available in a generic form. On the other hand, levalbuterol is a short-acting beta agonist (SABA) that treats sudden wheezing or shortness of breath in people with asthma. It works quickly, usually within minutes, and is used three times a day with a nebulizer. Levalbuterol is also available as a lower-cost generic. While Spiriva is not a rescue inhaler and takes time to show effects, levalbuterol acts fast to relieve acute symptoms. Both medications have side effects, but they differ; for example, Spiriva can cause dry mouth and upper respiratory infections, while levalbuterol can cause headaches and runny nose.
