Response to inhaled bronchodilators in chronic airway obstruction
Holten, K.
Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin Ny Raekke 113(4): 444-447
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-2001 PMID: 8465284 Document Number: 413421
Objective: To assess the proportion of patients with chronic limited airflow who obtain a meaningful bronchodilatory effect from the betaadrenergic agonist salbutamol and the anticholinergic agent ipratropiumbromide. Patients: 198 Patients with varying degrees of airflow limitation. The state of all patients was stable. Methods: Spirometry was recorded before inhalation, and ten, 20 and 30 minutes after inhalation of 0.2 mg salbutamol or 0.04 mg ipratropiumbromide. Results: FVC increased by 0.5 litres or more in 77 patients with salbutamol and in 104 patients with ipratropiumbromide. FEV-1 increased by 0.3 litres or more in 76 patients with salbutamol and in 95 patients with ipratropiumbromide. In 77 patients, neither of the drugs caused this improvement in FEV-1. Conclusion: In patients with chronic limitation of airflow use of inhaled bronchodilators should be based on the proven clinically significant effect of the drug in question.