oxitropium and Bronchitis

Anticholinergic medications have been accepted as an important treatment modality in chronic bronchitis and chronic asthma, but their use in acute asthma is more controversial. A brief historical context of anticholinergics is given. The innervations of the lung that govern bronchoconstriction and bronchodilatation are reviewed. The pharmacological and neurological properties of anticholinergics make them excellent modalities for treatment of asthma. The benefits of anticholinergics in acute asthma, exercise-induced asthma, nocturnal asthma, and psychogenic asthma are reviewed. The use of anticholinergics in anaphylaxis with beta-blockade is examined.

Topics: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; Adult; Anaphylaxis; Asthma; Asthma, Exercise-Induced; Bronchitis; Bronchoconstriction; Child; Child, Preschool; Cholinergic Antagonists; Chronic Disease; Glycopyrrolate; Humans; Lung; Parasympatholytics; Scopolamine Derivatives; Status Asthmaticus

Anticholinergic bronchodilator drugs improve lung function in chronic bronchitis but less is known of their effects on the volume and physical properties of sputum in conditions associated with excessive airway secretions. This study examines the effects of the regular use of oxitropium bromide in such patients.. The study was conducted in a parallel, double blind, placebo controlled fashion. Patients were divided into two groups: the first group (n = 17) received oxitropium bromide from a metered dose inhaler (two puffs three times daily; 100 micrograms/puff) for eight weeks, and the second group (n = 16) received placebo. Lung function was measured as forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and vital capacity. In evaluating airway secretion, daily amount of expectorated sputum, percentage solid composition, viscoelastic properties including elastic modulus and dynamic viscosity, and sputum microbiology were determined.. Oxitropium bromide increased FEV1 and decreased the mean (SE) sputum production from 61(4) to 42(3) g/day after treatment, whereas placebo had no effect. Bacterial density and sputum flora were unchanged, but solid composition and elastic modulus increased from 2.52(0.43)% to 3.12(0.34)%, and 68(12) dyne/cm2, respectively, in the group taking oxitropium bromide.. Regular treatment with oxitropium bromide not only improves airflow limitation but also reduces sputum production, probably through the inhibition of both mucus secretion and water transport, the latter component being predominant.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bronchiolitis; Bronchitis; Double-Blind Method; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Scopolamine Derivatives; Sputum

The aim of this study was to compare the bronchodilator response of patients with either stable asthma or stable chronic bronchitis to the acute administration of oxitropium bromide and a beta agonist (fenoterol) when given both separately and together in order to determine the responses of these two groups of patients and the optimal doses of these agents when given in combination. The responses of 23 patients with asthma and 25 patients with chronic bronchitis to 400 micrograms of fenoterol, and 200 micrograms of oxitropium given either alone or together with 100, 200 or 400 micrograms of fenoterol was studied. The peak bronchodilator response to oxitropium bromide of the patients with chronic bronchitis was equivalent to the fenoterol response while, in the patients with asthma, the response to oxitropium bromide was approximately 30% of the response to fenoterol. In both groups of subjects the addition of oxitropium bromide to fenoterol significantly increased both the magnitude and the duration of the bronchodilator response without a significant increase in side effects. In both groups of subjects 200 micrograms of oxitropium bromide and 200 micrograms or more of fenoterol gave the optimal response.

Topics: Adult; Asthma; Bronchitis; Chronic Disease; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Drug Therapy, Combination; Fenoterol; Humans; Middle Aged; Parasympatholytics; Scopolamine Derivatives

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of beta-2 stimulant adrenergic bronchodilators, salbutamol (S) and atropinic bronchodilators, oxitropium bromide (O). The drugs were administered by aerosol, alone or in combination. 20 patients with stable chronic bronchitis were randomised into two groups G1 and G2 and respiratory function tests were done on each group in two sequences, S1 and S2 with 24 hours between. The sequence S1 consisted of three spirometric measurements; an initial control measurement (C) preceding the inhalation of two puffs of 100 mcg of S with a repeat spirometry 15 minutes later followed by the inhalation of two puffs of 100 mcg of O followed by a final spirometry 45 minutes later, one hour after beginning the test. The protocol S2 was similar but the order of drugs was reversed (O then S). The subjects were subjected successively to regimes S1 and S2 for group 1 and inversely for group 2 according to the standard procedure for a crossover trial. The forced expired volume (FEV1) was expected as a percentage of the predicted values and absolute values. Thus only the first dose of inhaled bronchodilator increased slightly but significantly the FEV1. In effect, the administration of the second product led to no supplementary bronchodilator effect. The patients were classified as responders or non-responders for different thresholds of improvement of FEV1 of 10, 15 and 20%. The number of non-responders to the 2 classes of drugs was much greater when the threshold of improvement was raised to 20%. Some patients responded to bronchodilators, others uniquely to one of the two products and finally some to neither. Without reversibility tests it is not possible to predict the response to atropine from the response to beta-2-mimetics.

Topics: Aerosols; Airway Obstruction; Albuterol; Bronchi; Bronchitis; Bronchodilator Agents; Chronic Disease; Drug Combinations; Female; Humans; Male; Maximal Expiratory Flow-Volume Curves; Middle Aged; Parasympatholytics; Scopolamine Derivatives; Spirometry

The effect of oxitropium bromide on lung mucociliary clearance, pulmonary function and viscoelastic properties of sputum was investigated in 10 asthmatics and 10 chronic bronchitics. A controlled, double-blind, crossover study was performed. Following a baseline (B) measurement the patients were, in a random order, allocated placebo (P) or oxitropium bromide (O; 0.1 mg/puff), administered from metered dose inhalers, which they used for 4 weeks at a dose of 2 puffs t.d.s. This test medication was used in conjunction with their normal medication. At the end of the treatment period the patients were assessed, the treatments were then crossed over and a final assessment made 4 weeks later. The administration of oxitropium bromide resulted in (1) small but statistically significant increases in pulmonary function (less than 10% vs. placebo); (2) increased penetrance of radioaerosol into the lungs (mean +/- SEM alveolar deposition: 35 +/- 3, 26 +/- 3 and 24 +/- 3% for the O, P and B runs respectively; p less than 0.025); (3) no significant change in particle clearance rate from the lungs despite their deeper penetration (mean +/- SEM area under the tracheobronchial clearance curves between 0 and 6 h: 317 +/- 26, 324 +/- 25 and 287 +/- 25%.h for the O, P and B runs respectively; p greater than 0.1); (4) no alteration in sputum production, and (5) no significant changes in apparent viscosity (mean +/- SEM: 640 +/- 162, 446 +/- 79 and 557 +/- 115 mPa.s for the O, P and B runs, respectively; p greater than 0.1) and elasticity (mean +/- SEM: 3,682 +/- 1,383, 1,779 +/- 353 and 2,061 +/- 366 mPa for the O, P and B runs, respectively; p greater than 0.1) of sputum. When the two groups, i.e. the chronic bronchitics and asthmatics, were studied separately, no significant differences in any parameter measured (other than radioaerosol penetrance which was significantly enhanced on oxitropium bromide in chronic bronchitics) were noted between the three assessments.

Topics: Aged; Asthma; Bronchitis; Chronic Disease; Clinical Trials as Topic; Double-Blind Method; Drug Administration Schedule; Humans; Middle Aged; Mucociliary Clearance; Parasympatholytics; Random Allocation; Scopolamine Derivatives

In a dose response study 12 patients with chronic bronchitis and airflow obstruction received inhaled placebo and incremental doses of oxitropium bromide. Significant improvements in peak expiratory flow rate, forced expiratory volume in one second, and forced vital capacity were recorded at all times up to 10 hours after all doses of oxitropium bromide. Oxitropium bromide is an effective bronchodilator in chronic bronchitis with an optimal dose of 400-600 micrograms.

Topics: Aged; Bronchitis; Chronic Disease; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Parasympatholytics; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; Scopolamine Derivatives; Vital Capacity

The changes in FEV1 and in specific conductance induced by 200 micrograms oxitropium bromide given as pressurized aerosol were measured at 8 time intervals during 7 hours after inhalation in a group of 19 patients with reversible broncho-obstruction. The working of the drug was compared to the functional values observed at the same time intervals after placebo, 40 micrograms ipratropium bromide and 400 micrograms fenoterol. Both oxitropium and ipratropium were definitely and significantly superior to placebo at all time intervals. Oxitropium was superior to ipratropium at the 7th hour. At this time interval the difference was significant At the 7th hour oxitropium gave higher mean results than fenoterol, but this difference was not significant. The drug was also compared to its competitors regarding its subjective and cardiovascular tolerance. No unfavourable side-effects were observed.

Topics: Adrenergic beta-Agonists; Adult; Asthma; Blood Pressure; Bronchitis; Bronchodilator Agents; Fenoterol; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Ipratropium; Male; Placebos; Scopolamine Derivatives; Time Factors

19 consecutive patients (18 men, one woman, mean age 61.4 [49-73]years) with chronic obstructive airways disease (bronchitis and emphysema) together with angiographically confirmed coronary heart disease were studied to investigate their cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance and the effects of bronchodilators on their myocardial ischaemia. Because they were receiving drug therapy for angina or because they had previously undergone aortocoronary bypass operation or balloon dilatation, the patients were symptom-free. In three cases slight ischaemia was demonstrable during maximal exertion. Aerobic and anaerobic exercise capacity was determined by spiroergometry after inhalation of salbutamol (S, 0.2 mg) alone or in combination with oxitropium bromide (O, 0.2 mg). The supplementary effect of oral theophylline (T, 15 mg/kg.day) was studied in 13 patients. In terms of maximal aerobic exercise tolerance the following improvements were noted: energy output (watts): S: + 6.3%; S and O: + 12.3% (P < 0.05); S, O and T: + 14.0% (P < 0.01). Oxygen uptake (ml/min): S: + 8.2% (P < 0.05); S and O: + 18.2% (P < 0.01); S, O and T: + 35.4% (P < 0.01). Maximum exercise capacity was not significantly improved, although maximum oxygen uptake was significantly increased by the two-drug combination by 16.9% (P < 0.05) and by the three-drug combination by 19.2% (P < 0.05). Maximum minute volume and tidal volume rose significantly, though respiratory rate was unchanged. Heart rate and blood pressure remained practically unaffected by the treatment, both at rest and during exertion. There was no evidence of significant aggravation of ventricular arrhythmias or of ischaemia during ergometric testing.

Topics: Albuterol; Bronchitis; Chronic Disease; Coronary Disease; Delayed-Action Preparations; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Hemodynamics; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Parasympatholytics; Physical Endurance; Pulmonary Emphysema; Respiratory Function Tests; Scopolamine Derivatives; Theophylline

Topics: Asthma; Bronchitis; Humans; Parasympatholytics; Scopolamine Derivatives