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British Medical Journal logoLink to British Medical Journal
. 1970 Jan 10;1(5688):65–70.

Comparison of Cardiorespiratory Effects of Isoprenaline and Salbutamol in Patients with Bronchial Asthma

D A Warrell, D G Robertson, J Newton Howes, M E Conolly, J W Paterson, L J Beilin, C T Dollery
PMCID: PMC1699164  PMID: 5411446

Abstract

The effects of isoprenaline and salbutamol administered orally, by inhalation, or by intravenous infusion were compared in 13 asthmatic patients. Bronchodilator activity was assessed by serial measurement of specific airways conductance (SGaw). Log-dose response curves were obtained for both drugs and showed them to be equipotent as bronchodilators. Cardiovascular effects were variable, but in general, isopenaline caused greater rise in pulse rate and a greater change in blood pressure than the same dose of salbutamol.

Cardiorespiratory measurements during continuous intravenous infusion of increasing doses of both drugs suggested a greater effect of isoprenaline than the same dose of salbutamol on metabolic rate, pulmonary ventilation, pulmonary gas exchange, cardiac output, and heart rate. The effect of salbutamol on the heart rate was about 10 times less than that of isoprenaline but lasted longer.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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