Several bronchodilator drugs commonly used in respiratory therapy contain sodium metabisulfite as an antioxidant preservative. When aerosolized, these agents may release the irritant gas SO2 as a result of bisulfite decomposition. We found that agents that contain bisulfites generated SO2 concentrations of 2.0 ppm and greater, while bronchodilator solutions without bisulfite did not. Such level...

STUDY OBJECTIVES The management of stable patients with COPD depends on the severity of symptoms and airflow limitation. Regarding inflammation, corticosteroids are the only medications that are recommended for use, and only under restricted circumstances. Corticosteroids tend to undertreat or overtreat patients with COPD when only clinical manifestations and the findings of simple spirometry a...

The increasing trend of administering nonprescribed medicines in children is a significant public health issue. The aim of the present study was to assess the use of medication without a prescription (MWP), including both nonprescribed medication (NPM) and prescription-only medication (POM), and identify associated factors, among preschoolers in Athens, Greece. A predesigned questionnaire was d...

Three cases of pupillary dilatation associated with the development of acute glaucoma, precipitated by the use of nebulized bronchodilators are described. We suggest measures to reduce the risk of this complication.

: Anticholinergics, or specific antimuscarinic agents, by inhibition of muscarinic receptors cause bronchodilatation, which might correlate with activation of these receptors by the muscarinic agonist methacholine. The aim of this study was to determine whether a positive bronchodilator response to the anticholinergic ipratropium bromide could predict airway hyperresponsiveness in patients with...

In this paper, we discuss the advantages and drawbacks of POCIS (Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler) for the evaluation of river water quality downstream of wastewater treatment plants. POCIS proved well adapted to sampling alkylphenols and several pharmaceuticals. Concentration factors and the decrease in limits of quantification, compared to grab water sample analyses, were significan...

Background Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) is a new therapeutic option for severe refractory asthma not controlled despite high dose inhaled corticosteroids plus long-acting bronchodilators and omalizumab in selected cases. Risk of pulmonary atelectasis after BT in severe asthma has been described in literature, but no details have been reported on the possible mechanisms of the complication.

Causes for the high mortality from asthma in New Zealand were investigated by comparing deaths from asthma in caucasian subjects aged 15-64 in New Zealand with those from asthma in the same age group in two regions in England. There were no significant differences in the accuracy of death certification. The verified asthma mortality in New Zealand (4.2/100,000) was over twice that in England. M...

The McGill Pharmacoepidemiology Programme invited academics from around the globe to Sarasota, Florida, in order to discuss recent research on betaagonist bronchodilators in the treatment of asthma. The purpose of the meeting was the development of a research agenda to deal with unanswered questions in the medium and long term. The meeting was sponsored by AB Astra, Boehringer lngelheim GmbH, F...