Salbutamol (also called albuterol or Ventolin) is a type of medication used to relieve symptoms of asthma and COPD, such as coughing, wheezing, and breathlessness. It is also used for other lung diseases such as bronchitis and emphysema. Salbutamol is not a steroid. Rather, it is a beta-2-agonist, which means that it stimulates receptors in the lungs to relax the muscles of the airways. This helps open up the airways and make it easier to breathe. It is usually given in an inhaler, which produces a fine mist or spray of medication for you to breathe into your lungs. It is sometimes given as tablets or as a syrup if necessary. Salbutamol is the generic name for the drug. Another generic name for it is albuterol (mainly used in the US). It is commonly sold under the brand name Ventolin, amongst many others such as ProAir, Airomir, and Easyhaler.