RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A comparison of the cardiovascular and metabolic effects of formoterol, salbutamol and fenoterol
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 204
OP 210
DO 10.1183/09031936.93.06020204
VO 6
IS 2
A1 Bremner, P
A1 Woodman, K
A1 Burgess, C
A1 Crane, J
A1 Purdie, G
A1 Pearce, N
A1 Beasley, R
YR 1993
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/6/2/204.abstract
AB The cardiovascular and metabolic effects of the long-acting beta 2-agonist formoterol were compared with those of salbutamol, fenoterol and placebo in 12 healthy volunteers, using a randomised, double-blind, cross-over design. On the study days, the subjects inhaled either formoterol (24 micrograms), salbutamol (400 micrograms), fenoterol (400 micrograms) or placebo, at 30 min intervals for five doses. Heart rate (HR) total electromechanical systole (Q-S2I) (a measure of inotropy), the corrected QT interval (QTc), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, plasma glucose and plasma potassium (K+) were measured prior to drug administration, 10 min after each inhalation and at 30 min intervals for 3 h after the last inhalation. All of the active agents significantly increased HR, QTc and plasma glucose, and decreased Q-S2I, diastolic blood pressure and plasma K+ compared to placebo. Fenoterol had a significantly greater maximum effect on HR, QTc and Q-S2I than either salbutamol or formoterol. Formoterol and fenoterol caused a similar maximum reduction in plasma K+, greater than that due to salbutamol. We conclude that formoterol is a more selective beta 2-agonist than fenoterol, and has similar cardiovascular effects to salbutamol when inhaled repeatedly by normal volunteers.