A New Effective Method of Nebulizing Bronchodilator Aerosols: Clinical and Physiological Effects

¹ The Department of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Presbyterian Hospital of New York.

The gas phase of dichlorodifluoromethane is a well tolerated and expedient propellant for use in the nebulization of bronchodilator aerosols. Inhalation in concentrations of approximately 4 per cent in patients with bronchospasm produces no change in vital capacity. Side reactions from the inhalation of these low concentrations of dichlorodifluoromethane are minimal and occur infrequently.

Studies of the effect of 0.5 per cent isoproterenol hydrochloride and 2.25 per cent racemic ephinephrine when inhaled in the form of an aerosol by means of a gas phase of dichlorodifluoromethane propelled nebulizer revealed clinical relief of dyspnea and corresponding increases in vital capacity. The number of side reactions to these bronchodilators was low and confined to tremulousness and tachycardia. Reduction in the amount of drug inhaled reduced the incidence of side reactions. The use of the bronchodilator solution in which 0.4 per cent isoproterenol sulfate was combined with 2.0 per cent phenylephrine was not followed in this series with either tremulousness or tachycardia. Neither drug caused change in the blood pressure of normotensive or hypertensive patients when nebulized with this type device.