Foradil relaxes the muscles in the walls of the airways, allowing them to expand. Taken on a twice-daily basis, it helps to control asthma in people who need regular treatment with short-acting inhalers, including people with nighttime asthma. Regular twice-daily use can also relieve tightening of the airways in people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

Taken on an as-needed basis, Foradil can also be used to prevent exercise-induced tightening of the airways (also called "exercise-induced asthma") in adults and children 12 years of age and older.