Brief Answer:
Possibility of COPD (lung disease) and heart disease, most likely a lung.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
There are two possibilities in you as a cause of shortness of breath.

First one is COPD, which is nothing but lung disease occurring due to smoking and it appears to be a first cause for this. Points which favours this are, you being a smoker, phlegm, also if any wheezing is present. Even if you have quit smoking 2 years back, it can still be lung disease, which may present later. This can be confirmed by auscultation by a doctor or pulmonary function test. Treatment is inhalers, Like MDI Asthalin 2 puffs whenever needed upto six times a day, so you can try it, if it gives you relief then we will have to add some more inhaler and medicine. You should also perform chest physiotherapy with incentive spirometry, yoga to prevent further lung damage etc.

Second possibility is of heart disease, now you don't have any heart symptoms like chest pain or heaviness so I ll keep it little down. Still you should get one ECG and echo which will help us for further treatment. Aspirin less likely to help you in your heart beat problem, it helps in heart attack which is less likely in you. Also heart beat problems are known to occur in COPD patients like atrial fibrillation which causes rapid heart rate. Even low oxygen levels due to shortness of breath may cause palpitations and fast heart beat. So need one visit with gp and discuss these issues.

Get back if you have any questions or doubts or any report you want to upload.

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Brief Answer:
Mostly OTC

Detailed Answer:
In XXXXXXX it's available. Although I m not sure in US. But it is available as albuterol in US with salbutamol as active content. You can try on online sites for this. They may provide it as otc.

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