Albuterol vs Tiotropium: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Albuterol | Tiotropium | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | – | – |
| Brand names | – | Tiotropium Bromide |
| FAERS reports | 291,833 | 136,142 |
| Serious | 57% | 50% |
| Death outcome | 18,583 | 9,792 |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Albuterol | Tiotropium | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep disorder due to a general medical condition | 4,580 · PRR 27.8 | 2,521 · PRR 28.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Obstructive airways disorder | 3,896 · PRR 37.8 | 2,820 · PRR 51.9 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Sputum discoloured | 2,212 · PRR 21.5 | 1,395 · PRR 26.5 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Dust allergy | 464 · PRR 65.7 | 359 · PRR 91.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis | 490 · PRR 22.5 | 294 · PRR 26.1 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Conjunctivitis allergic | 384 · PRR 25.0 | 288 · PRR 37.6 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Bronchial secretion retention | 424 · PRR 35.6 | 245 · PRR 36.9 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Bronchopulmonary aspergillosis allergic | 456 · PRR 70.2 | 205 · PRR 44.2 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Mite allergy | 355 · PRR 89.2 | 299 · PRR 136.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Mycotic allergy | 328 · PRR 45.0 | 295 · PRR 82.9 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap syndrome | 296 · PRR 93.9 | 271 · PRR 168.4 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Bronchial wall thickening | 298 · PRR 49.3 | 248 · PRR 80.0 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Reversible airways obstruction | 292 · PRR 93.4 | 184 · PRR 85.7 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Allergy to animal | 277 · PRR 25.2 | 161 · PRR 27.8 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Lung hyperinflation | 221 · PRR 24.2 | 195 · PRR 44.7 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Pulmonary vasculitis | 231 · PRR 54.9 | 151 · PRR 61.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Forced vital capacity decreased | 212 · PRR 34.2 | 161 · PRR 50.7 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
Labeled signals distinctive to Albuterol
- Asthma — n=24,781, PRR 20.0 Labeled adverse reaction
Labeled signals distinctive to Tiotropium
- Right atrial hypertrophy — n=89, PRR 639.8 Labeled (related wording)
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Albuterol or Tiotropium?
Albuterol has 291,833 FAERS reports and Tiotropium 136,142. More reports does not mean more dangerous: volume follows how widely and how long a drug has been used, prescription vs over-the-counter status, and publicity. The seriousness share (57% vs 50%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Albuterol and Tiotropium share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for sleep disorder due to a general medical condition, obstructive airways disorder, sputum discoloured, dust allergy, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Albuterol or Tiotropium safer?
FAERS cannot answer that: it has no denominator and no comparator. Use this page to see which risks are already on each label and which signals are unlabeled, then check the prescribing information and your clinician for your situation.
Sources: openFDA FAERS pair statistics (OpenPV build 2026-09-14), FDA labels via openFDA, openFDA count queries for seriousness and deaths. Pair chosen because it is a commonly searched comparison. Generated 2026-10-08.