title: Effects of salbutamol and bitolterol mesilate on pO2 levels in asthmatic patients and healthy volunteers.
abstract: The hypoxic effects of salbutamol 200 micrograms (CAS 18559-94-9) and bitolterol mesilate 740 micrograms (Biterol, CAS 30392-41-7), both administered by pressurized aerosol, were assessed by transcutaneous pO2 monitoring in 18 asthmatic subjects and in 12 normal volunteers. Unlike the latter, the asthmatics showed a highly significant difference in ptcO2 time course after the two drugs. After bitolterol mesylate the decrease in ptcO2 was much more gradual and the maximal decrease showed a 10-min time lag vs. salbutamol, which may partly explain the well known chronotropic effect of bitolterol. The clinical importance of the beta 2-induced hypoxemia may be related more to the dynamics of the ptcO2 decrease than to its absolute magnitude, which is usually fairly moderate.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Respiratory Physiology Department, Bussolengo General Hospital, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dal Negro
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Cogo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pomari
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Turati
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Turco
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Allegra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000420:Albuterol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism*; D001785:Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D004983:Ethanolamines; C011685:bitolterol; D000420:Albuterol