title: Cardiac side effects of long-acting beta-2 agonist salmeterol in asthmatic children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Salmeterol is a new long-acting beta 2 selective adrenoreceptor agonist. There are some reports about the cardiac side-effects of salmeterol in asthmatic adults. The aim of this study was to determine the cardiac side effects of salmeterol in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen children with moderate asthma (aged between 6 and 13 years, mean 8.76 years) received salmeterol with a spacer device (Volumatic 200 micrograms daily, b.i.d.) for 3 weeks. All the children were evaluated by 24 h ambulatory electrocardiography monitoring and echocardiography before, on the second and on the 21st day of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In minimum heart rate measurements, there were significant differences between the baseline (mean +/- SD 54.29 +/- 7.13), second (59.24 +/- 6.86) and 21st day (60.65 +/- 8.23) results. Also, the mean heart rate before the treatment (89.59 +/- 6.78) was significantly different from that on the second (94.76 +/- 6.51) and 21st day (92.65 +/- 8.90) of treatment. Although all the values were within normal limits and there were no significant differences between the control group's values, a trend of increase in mean and the minimum heart rates was seen. There were no significant differences in blood pressure, serum K+, maximum heart rate, supraventricular and ventricular ectopic beats, ejection fraction, stroke volume, cardiac output and corrected QT interval at any time. No complaints of tremors or palpitations were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As no cardiac side effects were detected, it could be concluded that salmeterol is quite a safe drug for use in childhood asthma treatment.
authors: Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Pediatric Allergy, Gazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. pedcar@behcet.tip.gazi.edu.tr
authors: F S
authors: FS
authors: Tunaoğlu
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Türktaş
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Olguntürk
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Demirsoy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000420:Albuterol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D004452:Echocardiography; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D000420:Albuterol