BACKGROUND Bronchodilators are increasingly being used in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. There are multiple factors that affect bronchodilator delivery during mechanical ventilation. These factors can be classified into three categories: ventilator-related factors, circuit-related factors and device-related factors. AIMS The purpose of this paper is to review in depth each of the...

Knowledge of short- and longer-term repeatability of lung function in health and disease is essential to determine bronchodilator reversibility thresholds and to recognise if changes in lung function represent disease progression, therapeutic intervention or normal variability. Multiple-breath washout indices (lung clearance index, conductive ventilation inhomogeneity (Scond)) and specific airw...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the use of inhaled albuterol via a metered-dose inhaler with a large-volume spacer with antistatic treatment modifies the bronchodilator test results when compared with the usual technique (no spacer). METHODS A prospective study involving 24 patients, 18-45 years of age, clinically suspected of having asthma, and under treatment at the Outpatient Pulmonary Clini...

BACKGROUND Bronchodilator response in patients with asthma is evaluated based on post-bronchodilator increase in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC). However, the need for additional parameters, mainly among patients with severe asthma, has already been demonstrated. METHODS The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of vital capacity (VC) a...

We read with interest the recent study by Fish et al (August 2001)1 showing that adding salmeterol to inhaled corticosteroid achieved superior control as compared to adding montelukast. However it is likely that the results were biased toward the long-acting 2-agonist as patients were required as an inclusion criteria to have at least 12% increase in FEV1 in response to albuterol. It is therefo...

Objective. To determine whether a program incorporating smoking intervention and use of an inhaled bronchodilator can slow the rate of decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV') in smokers aged 35 to 60 years who have mild obstructive pulmonary disease. Design. Randomized clinical trial. Participants randomized with equal probability to one of the following groups: (1) smoking inter...

Wheezing is a relatively common symptom or sign in patients with fibrocystic disease of the pancreas and the obstructive nature of their breathing is frequently obvious. Nevertheless, bronchodilator therapy is often not dramatic in its effect and its role has not been clearly defined despite the increasing use of aerosol therapy for the pulmonary aspects of this disease. The aerosol usually con...

Bronchodilators are among the most commonly employed drugs in the intensive care unit. Inhaled bronchodilator therapy is preferred in modern practice because of many advantages over systemic therapy.1 In patients with airflow obstruction, inhaled bronchodilators improve wheezing2 and hemodynamics3 and reduce airway resistance and intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure.4,5 Bronchodilators al...

Results Data comprised 14 males, 35 females, mean age 54yrs (31-72), 82 % never-smokers. 44 had post bronchodilator studies. FEF75 or FEF25-75 < 65% were categorised as SAW disease. Pre bronchodilator (Pre-BD) Mean FEV1/ FVC was 78% (70-91%), however Mean FEF75 and FEF25-75 (% predicted) were 34.5% and 43.3% respectively. 6 patients had both, a reversibility in FEV1 >12% and increase by 200ml. ...