Asthma Attack at Night in Cyprus: Pharmacy and ER Options

Asthma flares most often at night. The temperature drops, dust in the bedroom builds up, and the airways tighten. People who live with it know: if the inhaler is missing or empty, this becomes one of the longest nights of the year.

This guide explains when you call 112, when a night pharmacy is enough, what inhalers are sold in Cyprus, and how the GESY follow-up works.

First: How severe is this attack?

Not all attacks are equal. Read your body before you run.

Severe attack — Call 112 right now

Call 112 if you see any of the following:

You cannot finish a sentence without pausing for breath.
A wheeze that suddenly goes silent — a dangerous sign that no air is moving.
Blue lips or fingernails (cyanosis).
Confusion, drowsiness, or detachment.
Heart rate above 130 beats per minute in an adult, or very fast breathing in a child.
No improvement after 4 to 10 puffs of the reliever inhaler over 10 to 20 minutes.

On the call with 112, say "asthma attack", the patient's age, whether they have already used medicine, and how much.

Mild to moderate attack — Pharmacy and self-care

If:

You can speak in sentences of 5 to 7 words.
The wheeze is audible but air is moving.
A short-acting inhaler (if you have one) helps.
There is no cyanosis or confusion.

Then a night pharmacy and a fresh salbutamol inhaler (Ventolin) are usually enough.

First 10 minutes — What you do

Sit upright. Not lying down. Sit on a chair with feet on the floor. This position opens the lungs.
Take a puff of salbutamol (the "blue" inhaler). One puff, one breath, deep, hold for 10 seconds. Repeat up to 4 times with one minute between each puff.
Calm slow breaths as best you can. Panic tightens the airways further.
Fresh air: open a window away from smoke, a grill, or dust.
Reassess at 10 minutes. If you are not clearly better, head out or call for transport.

If you have no inhaler at all, do two things at once: someone goes to an on-call pharmacy, you stay in a safe position, and if you get worse, call 112.

Asthma medicines in Cyprus

Short-acting ("reliever")

Salbutamol — sold as Ventolin, Aerolin.
- Pressurised inhaler (MDI) 100 mcg per puff.
- Also available as nebuliser ampoules for hospital use.
Terbutaline — Bricanyl turbohaler.

Long-acting ("controller")

Usually require a prescription and regular use:

Inhaled corticosteroids (Pulmicort budesonide, Flixotide fluticasone).
Combinations of corticosteroid and long-acting bronchodilator (Seretide, Symbicort, Foster).
Montelukast (Singulair) tablets.

Law and practice: Salbutamol is prescription-only in Cyprus. In a genuine emergency, an on-call pharmacist may dispense a single unit without a prescription on their professional responsibility and send you to a doctor for follow-up. This is not guaranteed at every pharmacy. Call ahead.

How to find the night pharmacy

Full primer: how to find a night pharmacy in Cyprus.

What the pharmacist will ask

Age and weight (for children).
Whether you already have an asthma diagnosis.
The most recent prescription or the box of medicine you use.
Other medicines and allergies.
The most recent heart rate and breathing rate if you have them.

Bring the old inhaler even if it is empty. The active ingredient name on the box sorts a lot.

Hospital route

If salbutamol does not solve the problem, or the attack is severe, the emergency department will deliver:

Nebulised salbutamol and/or ipratropium.
Oxygen.
Systemic corticosteroids (prednisolone).
SpO₂ and breathing rate monitoring.

Nicosia General Hospital, Limassol General, Larnaca General, Paphos General, and Famagusta General all have 24/7 emergency departments. All are part of GESY. You do not need a GP referral for the emergency department.

GESY coverage

Inhalers are on the GESY positive list. With your doctor's prescription you pay €1 per inhaler, with a €10 cap per prescription and a €150 annual cap. For many patients on stable therapy, your GESY doctor can issue a repeatable prescription. Official information at the Pharmaceutical Services of the Cyprus Ministry of Health.

Prevention after the attack

Within the next 24 to 48 hours:

See your doctor. If you do not have a GESY GP, register with one.
Ask for a written asthma action plan — what you do if peak flow drops, how many puffs, and when you call a doctor.
Consider whether you need a daily controller inhaler. Frequent attacks often signal that your controller therapy is not enough.
Note likely triggers (dust, pets, stress, alcohol, smoke, cold air, very hot south winds, Saharan dust).

Saharan dust and asthma in Cyprus

In Cyprus a classic trigger is African dust carried by southerly winds. Check the air quality: when visibility drops and the sky turns brown, asthma patients often need their reliever earlier. Always keep an active reliever inhaler. Wear an FFP2 mask if you go outdoors.

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy Ventolin without a prescription at night? Legally, a prescription is required. In a genuine emergency, many on-call pharmacists will dispense a single unit and send you for a prescription afterwards. Practice varies. Call ahead.

Should I go straight to the hospital? For severe symptoms, yes, ideally via 112. For mild to moderate, the pharmacy is faster and may be enough.

Do I take paracetamol alongside? Not for the asthma itself, unless you also have pain or fever. Ibuprofen can trigger an attack in a small share of asthma patients — if it is your first time using it, avoid it.

Tourist prescription — accepted in Cyprus? EU prescriptions are usually accepted. Bring the original box or a photo of the label.

1402 or 112? For a respiratory emergency, call 112. The 1402 line is the general GESY information helpline, not a 24-hour medical emergency service.

Sources

Cyprus Ministry of Health — Pharmaceutical Services. The on-call pharmacy rotation is published daily by the Cyprus Pharmaceutical Association and surfaced live on CyNightMeds.

Find tonight's pharmacy

Daily schedule from the official Cyprus Pharmaceutical Association feed.