ABSTRACT
The acute pulmonary and cardiovascular effects of pirbuterol dihydrochloride 10 mg and 15 mg, a new orally active beta 2-selective sympathomimetic agent, were compared with those of placebo and metaproterenol 20 mg over a period of seven hours in 24 stable asthmatics. Pirbuterol 15 mg and metaproterenol 20 mg had a comparable onset of action (30 min) and magnitude of peak bronchodilator effect (29 +/- 5 mean % increase in FEV1) but the bronchodilatation following pirbuterol was longer lasting (seven hours) than that following metaproterenol (three hours). Pirbuterol 15 mg also caused a greater magnitude and duration of bronchodilatation than pirbuterol 10 mg. No effect on heart rate or PEP/LVET ratio was noted with either drug. Side effects reported following each of the active agents were comparable in frequency and were almost always mild. These findings indicate that pirbuterol is an effective bronchodilator with a relatively long duration of action, definite beta 2-adrenergic specificity and insignificant toxicity when administered in a single dose.
Subject(s)
Airway Obstruction/drug therapy , Asthma/drug therapy , Bronchodilator Agents , Ethanolamines/therapeutic use , Acute Disease , Adult , Aged , Cardiovascular System/drug effects , Ethanolamines/adverse effects , Female , Forced Expiratory Volume , Heart Rate/drug effects , Humans , Male , Metaproterenol/adverse effects , Metaproterenol/therapeutic use , Middle Aged , Respiratory Function TestsABSTRACT
Venous air embolism is not commonly believed to produce the adult respiratory distress syndrome. We present a nonsurgical case of venous air embolism followed by the development of this syndrome. Other causes of adult respiratory distress syndrome were excluded. Physicians should be alerted to its possible occurrence and the need for appropriate therapy.
Subject(s)
Catheterization/adverse effects , Embolism, Air/complications , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/etiology , Adult , Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage , Chemotherapy, Cancer, Regional Perfusion/adverse effects , Female , Humans , Leukemia, Myeloid/drug therapy , Pulmonary Edema/etiology , Pulmonary Embolism/etiologyABSTRACT
Short-term oral contraceptive therapy has been reported to decrease postheparin lipolytic activity (PHLA). Resistance to heparin has been held responsible for this effect. To test several alternative explanations, we studied both PHLA and heparin concentrations in nine control women and nine women receiving long-term estrogen-progestin therapy after they were given heparin intravenously (10 units/kg). There were no significant differences in the concentration of heparin, its rate of disappearance, or calculated space of distribution between control and treated groups. PHLA was depressed (p less than 0.05) by approximately 50% during long-term estrongen-progestin therapy. PHLA disappearance was similar in both groups. Thus, reduced PHLA in women receiving long-term oral contraceptive therapy cannot be related to altered heparin metabolism or to accelerated enzyme disappearance from plasma. Long-term estrogen-progestin administration may decrease the heparin-facilitated release of individual triglyceride hydrolase activities or enhance the affinity of enzyme binding to tissues.
