Bronchodilator Therapy: Comparison of Acute Response to Three Methods of Administration

¹ Assistant Professor of Medicine
² Director Respiratory Disease Division, Government Hospital, Tel Hashomer, Israel
³ Instructor in Medicine
⁴ Associate Professor of Medicine

Nine men with stable COPD were studied to evaluate any difference in the acute response to aerosol isoproterenol administered by IPPB or by two simpler constant flow nebulizer devices. The responses to isoproterenol of flow rates, airway resistance and diffusion were measured over four consecutive test days. After a control day a different device was used on each subsequent day in a random pattern. All patients showed a beneficial response to bronchodilator in flow rates and airway resistance. No patient had a significant change in diffusion. We concluded that IPPB was no more effective than simpler, and less expensive, constant flow devices in delivering bronchodilator to stable, ambulatory COPD patients.