title: Anticholinergic bronchodilators for adult obstructive airways disease.
abstract: Quaternary anticholinergic bronchodilators offer gradual and sustained bronchodilation to patients who have asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. For asthma, the anticholinergic compounds are less potent than the beta-adrenergic agents but have useful additive bronchodilator properties when combined with beta-adrenergic agents or theophylline. They may be particularly useful in combination regimens for patients who have severe asthma and for older asthmatics. The rationale for such a combination is most compelling in the treatment of acute exacerbations of asthma. For chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, anticholinergic compounds offer greater bronchodilation than beta-adrenergic agents for most patients and are thus considered useful initial therapy in maintenance regimens.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Chapman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009241:Ipratropium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D010276:Parasympatholytics; D009241:Ipratropium