theophylline

How long does Theophylline stay in your body?

The elimination half-life of theophylline is about 8.7 hours on average (range roughly 6 to 13 hours) in otherwise healthy non-smoking adults 16-60 years — the time it takes the body to clear about half of it. As a rule of thumb, a medicine is mostly gone after roughly 4 to 5 half-lives, though this varies from person to person with age and kidney or liver function. This is the elimination half-life; the label's Table I reports it directly and theophylline follows one-compartment-like kinetics with no clinically relevant longer-lasting active metabolite in adults and it is not a prodrug. The half-life is highly variable and rises markedly in several named populations: elderly (>60 years, normal cardiac/liver/renal function) about 9.8 h (range 1.6-18); liver disease prolongs it substantially - cirrhosis about 32 h (10-56), acute hepatitis about 19 h, cholestasis about 14 h; also longer in acute pulmonary edema (~19 h), sepsis with multi-organ failure (~19 h), and 3rd-trimester pregnancy (~13 h). Because theophylline is cleared by hepatic metabolism, the label ties prolongation to liver dysfunction and age rather than to kidney impairment (renal impairment is not listed as prolonging half-life in adults). The kinetics are non-linear, so half-life increases further at serum concentrations above ~20 mcg/mL. Half-life is shorter in smokers, children, and hyperthyroidism.

This is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t tell you when a drug test would read negative (tests detect substances for different, often longer, windows) or when it’s safe to take another dose — ask your pharmacist or prescriber. Source: Theophylline (Anhydrous) Extended-Release Tablets - DailyMed label, Clinical Pharmacology (Table I).

Frequently asked questions

What does Theophylline treat?

Theophylline (Theophylline) may be used to treat apnea, asthma, bradycardia, bronchial spasm, bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.

How much does Theophylline cost?

Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $0.86 per ml, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins. Pharmacies pay less for a same-class option, Cromolyn Sodium — about $0.60 on the same basis.

Is there a coupon or discount for Theophylline?

pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Theophylline. To pay less, Theophylline is already a generic — usually the lowest-cost version — so the main levers are comparing cash prices between pharmacies and using a pharmacy discount-card service. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.

Who makes Theophylline?

Theophylline is marketed by Able. You can see Able's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.

Is Theophylline a brand-name or generic drug?

Theophylline is a generic medication; its active ingredient is Theophylline. Generics contain the same active ingredient as the brand-name original and are usually lower cost.

Is Theophylline available over the counter?

No. Theophylline is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.

What forms does Theophylline come in?

Theophylline is currently marketed as solution and tablet, extended release, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.

What class of drug is Theophylline?

Theophylline is classified as methylxanthine, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.

Is Theophylline FDA-registered?

Theophylline is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number ANDA040546. You can verify this on its official FDA label.