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Bricanyl Turbohaler 0.5 mg / dose inhalation powder – patient leaflet, side effects, dosage

Last updated: · Text from the MHRA, as of · About this document

Medicine status: Prescription only (POM) Details

Medicine strength:
0.5 mg / dose (500 microgram/dose)
Contains active substance:

Patient leaflet - Bricanyl Turbohaler 0.5 mg / dose inhalation powder

1. What Bricanyl Turbohaler is and what it is used for

Bricanyl Turbohaler is an inhaler. It contains a medicine called terbutaline. This belongs to a group of medicines called ‘beta-agonists’. These work by relaxing certain muscles and opening up the airways in the lungs.

Bricanyl Turbohaler is used for asthma and other breathing problems where you have a tight chest and difficulty breathing.

2. What you need to know before you use Bricanyl Turbohaler

Do not use Bricanyl Turbohaler:

  • If you are allergic to terbutaline.

Warnings and precautions

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using Bricanyl Turbohaler if:

  • You have diabetes. If so, you may need some

    extra blood sugar tests when you start using Bricanyl Turbohaler.

  • You have a history of heart disease, irregular

    heart rhythm or angina.

  • You have an overactive thyroid gland. If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using Bricanyl Turbohaler.

Other medicines and Bricanyl Turbohaler

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This includes medicines that you buy without a prescription and herbal medicines. Bricanyl can affect the way that some medicines work and some medicines can have an effect on Bricanyl.

In particular, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines:

  • Steroid medicines (such as prednisolone).
  • Medicines called ‘xanthines’ (such as

    theophylline).

  • Medicines called ‘beta-blockers’ (such as

    atenolol or propranolol) including eye drops (such as timolol).

  • Water tablets (diuretics) such as furosemide

    (also known as frusemide).

If you are to undergo surgery with general anaesthetics it is important that you inform your doctor about all medicines you use, including Bricanyl to protect you from adverse effects (e.g. irregular heart beat).

Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility

  • If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think

    you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before using this medicine.

  • If you become pregnant while you are using

    Bricanyl Turbohaler, talk to your doctor straight away.

Driving and using machines

Bricanyl is not likely to affect you being able to drive or use any machines.

Bricanyl Turbohaler contains lactose

Bricanyl Turbohaler contains lactose, which is a type of sugar. If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine. The amount of lactose in this medicine does not normally cause problems in people who are lactose intolerant.

The lactose may contain small amounts of milk protein residues. In patients with hypersensitivity to milk proteins, these small amounts may cause allergic reactions.

3. How to use Bricanyl Turbohaler

Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. If Bricanyl Turbohaler is to be used by a child, make sure that they use it correctly.

Bricanyl Turbohaler should be used as required rather than regularly.

Seek medical attention right away if your asthma symptoms (cough, breathlessness, wheezing or tight chest) are getting worse or if you are too breathless to speak, eat or sleep.

You must contact your doctor as soon as possible if you need higher doses of Bricanyl Turbohaler than usual to relieve your breathing problems. You may then need extra medication to control your asthma.

If you use Bricanyl Turbohaler more than twice a week to treat your asthma symptoms, this indicates poorly controlled asthma and may increase the risk of severe asthma attacks (worsening of asthma) that can have serious complications and may be life-threatening or even fatal. You should contact your doctor as soon as possible to review your asthma treatment.

If you use a medicine against inflammation of your lungs daily, e.g., “inhaled corticosteroid”, it is important to continue using it regularly, even if you feel better.

How much to take

  • The recommended dose is one inhalation as required.
  • Do not take more than four inhalations in any

    24 hour period.

  • One inhalation from your Bricanyl Turbohaler should last for up to six hours.

Talk to your doctor straight away if:

  • Your breathing is getting worse.
  • You often wake at night with asthma.
  • You start getting a tight chest.
  • You are not getting relief from your current dose.

These are signs that your asthma is not being controlled. You may need a different or additional treatment straight away. Preparing your new Bricanyl Turbohaler Inhaler

Before using your new Bricanyl Turbohaler for the first time, you need to prepare it for use as follows:

  • Unscrew the cover and lift it off. You may hear a rattling sound.
  • Hold your Bricanyl Turbohaler Inhaler upright with the blue grip at the bottom.
  • Turn the blue grip as far as it will go in one direction. Then turn it as far as it will go in the other direction (it does not matter which way you turn it first).
  • You should hear a click sound.
  • Do this again, turning the blue grip in both directions.
  • Your Bricanyl Turbohaler Inhaler is now ready for use.

How to take an inhalation

Every time you need to take an inhalation, follow the instructions below.

Mouthpiece

Dose

indicator

Grip

  1. 1. Unscrew the cover and lift it off. You may hear a rattling sound.
  2. 2. Hold your Turbohaler upright with the blue grip at the bottom.
  3. 3. Do not hold the mouthpiece when you load your Turbohaler. To load your Turbohaler with a dose, turn the blue grip as far as it will go in one direction. Then turn it as far as it will go in the other direction (it does not matter which way you turn it first). You should hear a click sound.

Your Turbohaler is now loaded and ready to use. Only load your Turbohaler when you need to use it.

  1. 4.

    Hold your Turbohaler away from your mouth.

    Breathe out gently (as far as is comfortable). Do not breathe out through your Turbohaler.

  2. 5. Place the mouthpiece gently between your teeth. Close your lips. Breathe in as deeply and as hard as you can through your mouth. Do not chew or bite on the mouthpiece.
  3. 6.

    Remove your Turbohaler from your mouth.

    Then breathe out gently. The amount of medicine that is inhaled is very small. This means you may not be able to taste it after inhalation. If you have followed the instructions, you can be confident that you have inhaled the dose and the medicine is now in your lungs.

  4. 7. If you are to take a second inhalation, repeat steps 2 to 6.
  5. 8. Replace the cover tightly after use.
  6. 9. Rinse your mouth out with water each time after taking your dose, if possible, to remove any medicine that remains in your mouth. 110301700

As with all inhalers, caregivers should ensure that children prescribed Bricanyl Turbuhaler use correct inhalation technique, as described above.

Do not try to remove the mouthpiece since it is fixed to your Turbohaler and must not be taken off. The mouthpiece can be rotated but do not twist it unnecessarily. Do not use your Turbohaler if it has been damaged or if the mouthpiece has come apart from your Turbohaler.

Cleaning your Turbohaler

Wipe the outside of the mouthpiece once a week with a dry tissue. Do not use water or liquids.

When to start using a new Turbohaler

The dose indicator tells you how many doses are left in the Turbohaler, starting with 120 doses when it is full.

  • The dose indicator is marked in intervals

    of 10 doses. Therefore, it does not show every dose. When you first see a red mark at the edge of the indicator window, there are approximately 20 doses left. For the last 10 doses, the background of the dose indicator is red. When the ‘0’ on the red background has reached the middle of the window, you must start using your new Turbohaler.

Note:

  • The grip will still twist and ‘click’ even when

    your Turbohaler is empty.

  • The sound that you hear as you shake your

    Turbohaler is produced by a drying agent and not the medicine. Therefore, the sound does not tell you how much medicine is left in your Turbohaler.

  • If you load your Bricanyl Turbohaler more

    than once by mistake before taking your dose, you will still only receive one dose. However, the dose indicator will register all the loaded doses.

If you use more Bricanyl Turbohaler than you should

If you use more Bricanyl Turbohaler than you should, contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

If you forget to use Bricanyl Turbohaler

  • If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as

    you remember. However, if it is nearly time for your next dose, skip the missed dose.

  • Do not take a double dose to make up for a

    forgotten dose.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Important side effects to look out for:

  • Allergic reactions. The signs may include a

    swollen face, skin rash, breathing problems, low blood pressure (feeling faint) and collapse. It is not known exactly how often this happens. If this happens to you, stop using Bricanyl Turbohaler and see a doctor straight away.

  • Sudden wheezing soon after inhaling

    your dose of Bricanyl Turbohaler. It is not known exactly how often this happens. If this happens to you, stop using Bricanyl Turbohaler and see a doctor straight away.

Other possible side effects:

Very Common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)

  • Trembling or shaking.
  • Headache.

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)

  • Pounding or rapid heart beat (palpitations).
  • Cramp or feeling tense.
  • Low levels of potassium in your blood which

    may cause muscle weakness, thirst, or ‘pins and needles’.

Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)

  • Unusual or irregular heart beats.
  • Chest pain (due to heart problems such as

    angina). Tell your doctor if you develop this symptom whilst receiving treatment with Bricanyl Turbohaler, but do not stop using this medicine unless told to.

  • Feeling sick (nausea).
  • Mouth and throat irritation.
  • Changes in sleeping patterns and changes in

    behaviour, such as feeling agitated, restless or hyperactive.

Do not be concerned by this list of side effects. You may not get any of them.

Reporting of side effects If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. How to store Bricanyl Turbohaler

  • Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
  • Do not store above 30°C.
  • When not in use, Bricanyl Turbohaler should be stored with the cover tightened.
  • Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and on the inhaler after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
  • Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.

6. Contents of the pack and other information

What Bricanyl Turbohaler contains

The active substance is terbutaline sulfate. One dose (inhalation) contains:

  • The active substance is terbutaline sulfate 0.5 mg.
  • The excipient is lactose.

What Bricanyl Turbohaler looks like and the contents of the pack

Bricanyl Turbohaler is a multi-dose, dry powder inhaler. Each inhaler contains 120 doses.

Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer

The Marketing Authorisation for

Bricanyl Turbohaler is held by

AstraZeneca UK Limited, 1 Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge, CB2 0AA, UK.

Bricanyl Turbohaler is manufactured by AstraZeneca AB, SE-151 36 Södertälje, Sweden.

To listen to or request a copy of this leaflet in Braille, large print or audio please call, free of charge:

0800 198 5000 (UK only)

Please be ready to give the following information:

Product name

Bricanyl Turbohaler

Reference number

This is a service provided by the Royal National Institute of Blind People.

This leaflet was last revised in February 2026.

Bricanyl and Turbohaler are trade marks of the AstraZeneca group of companies.

© AstraZeneca 2026

RSP 26 0002

About this document

Source: MHRA - Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (products.mhra.gov.uk) · Marketing authorisation: PL 17901/0117

Last revision stated in the text: February 2026 · MHRA data as of 13 October 2026

Found a mistake? Tell us on the contact page.

The information on this site does not replace the advice of a doctor or pharmacist.

Facts about Bricanyl Turbohaler 0.5 mg / dose inhalation powder

Prescription needed? Yes, prescription-only medicine (POM)
Active substance Terbutaline
Strength 0.5 mg / dose (500 microgram/dose)
Pharmaceutical form Inhalation powder
A white inhaler comprising a blue turning grip, an integral dose indicator and a white cover.
How is it taken Inhalation
Excipients Lactose monohydrate (which may contain milk protein residue).
Pack sizes 120 dose
Is it available? Listed as available (NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices – not a record of current supplies)
Shelf life 36 months
Drug group (ATC)
  1. R Respiratory system drugs
    1. R03 Drugs for obstructive airway diseases
      1. R03A Adrenergics, inhalants
        1. R03AC Selective beta-2-adrenoreceptor agonist inhalants
          1. R03AC03 terbutaline
Marketing authorisation PL 17901/0117 (first authorised 16 April 2003)
Marketing authorisation holder AstraZeneca UK Limited
Codes GTIN 5000456028837 · BNF 03010101

Sources: the MHRA product information (products.mhra.gov.uk) and the NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (dm+d), release 10.1.0 of 12 October 2026, NHS Business Services Authority. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.