title: Long-term oral therapy of asthma with terbutaline and theophylline, alone and combined.
abstract: Bronchodilation and side effects of 28 days treatment with either a full therapeutic dose of theophylline slow-release preparation 500 mg twice daily (400-600 mg), a slow-release terbutaline preparation 10 mg twice daily or combinations of the 2 drugs in full or half doses were evaluated in 31 asthmatic outpatients in a double-blind, randomized crossover design. The combination of half doses of the 2 drugs produced slightly better bronchodilation than high-dose, single drug regimen and similar bronchodilation as a high-dose combination. Side effects during half dose combination were less than when theophylline alone or high dose combination treatment were administered. High-dose combination treatment produced slightly more ventricular ectopic beats and supra ventricular ectopic beats, and 3 patients developed cardiac arrhythmias. A combination of half the normally used doses of oral slow-release formulations of terbutaline and theophylline seems superior to a high-dose combination.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Laursen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taudorf
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gnosspelius
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gymose
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weeke
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017109:Akathisia, Drug-Induced; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005117:Cardiac Complexes, Premature / Q000139:chemically induced; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D011897:Random Allocation; D013726:Terbutaline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013806:Theophylline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D014202:Tremor / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D013806:Theophylline; D013726:Terbutaline