The effects of intravenous salbutamol (4 mug/kg) were compared with those of aerosol salbutamol (200 mug) in 10 asthmatic patients in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Both methods of administration produced equal bronchodilatation. Intravenous salbutamol caused significant increases in plasma insulin and glucose levels and a fall in serum potassium concentration in addition to tachycard...

The 2011 revision of the GOLD global strategy on COPD is a major paradigm shift in diagnosis and management of the disease. In particular, detailed assessment of current symptom control and future risk in terms of airflow limitation and exacerbation history, now allows more accurate categorisation of individual COPD patients. Pharmacological interventions are now directly linked to these catego...

to the severity of pulmonary involvement assessed clinically and radiologically, and with those found in asthmatic children and those with a history of wheezy bronchitis in early childhood. In patients with CF, bronchial lability was found even in those with minimal pulmonary involvement. The lability was due not only to bronchoconstriction but to a dilatation which was greater than occurs in n...

Twelve adult asthmatic patients participated in an open, randomized, cross-over comparison between cumulatively increasing doses of terbutaline sulphate administered via the multiple dose powder inhaler (Turbuhaler) or via a pressurized inhaler. Turbuhaler and the pressurized inhaler showed equipotency both with respect to bronchodilatation and side effects. Both treatments produced a significa...

1. In five subjects, ten consecutive forced expiratory spirograms were recorded on each of 6 different days and the total forced expiratory time (FET) on each spirogram was measured. The mean overall coefficient of variation of the FET was 11.3% and of the ratio forced vital capacity (FVC)/FET was 8%. 2. Twenty-two subjects with probable small (less than 2 mm diameter) airway dysfunction as man...

UNLABELLED The aim of this study was to identify the physiological mechanisms of exertional respiratory discomfort (breathlessness) in pregnancy by comparing ventilatory (breathing pattern, airway function, operating lung volumes, oesophageal pressure (P(oes))-derived indices of respiratory mechanics) and perceptual (breathlessness intensity) responses to incremental cycle exercise in 15 young,...

Assessment of airway responsiveness by bronchoprovocation and bronchodilatation tests is important in the diagnostic work-up protocol of bronchial asthma and it would be convenient to undertake both tests on the same occasion. However, it is not known whether this can be done accurately. Therefore, this study evaluated the effect of a prior bronchial provocation test on the bronchodilator respo...

The aim of this study was to find out if bronchodilatation following deep inspiration can be induced by the inhalation of a "natural" stimulus (hyperventilation of cold dry air), and if the effect is similar to that induced by methacholine. After baseline assessment of lung resistance (RL), 10 asthmatic subjects were asked to inhale cold dry air for 3 min. RL was monitored continuously for 3-4 ...