COMPARISON OF NEBULIZED GLYCOPYRROLATE AND METAPROTERENOL IN CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY-DISEASE

We assessed the bronchodilating effect of glycopyrrolate (GP) and comp ared it with that of metaproterenol (MP), alone and in combination (GP +MP), in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), I n a double-blind study, 11 patients (aged (mean+/-SD) 69+/-6 yrs; forc ed expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 1.2+/-0.4 L) with stable COP D inhaled nebulized GP 1.0 mg, MP 15 mg, or GP 1.0 mg + MP 15 mg, Spir ometry was performed before inhalation and at hourly intervals for 8 h after inhalation, It was found that GP produced a bronchodilating eff ect that was about equal to that of MP but lasted longer (8 vs 5 h). T he combination of GP and MP produced a bronchodilating effect that was greater than that of either drug alone and was evident mostly during the effect of MP. The mean peak percentage improvement in FEV1 over ba seline was 35% for GP+MP and 25% far either drug alone, These data sug gest that nebulized glycopyrrolate is an effective bronchodilator in s ome patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Concurrent ad ministration of glycopyrrolate and metaproterenol produces additional bronchodilation that is primarily apparent during the bronchodilator e ffect of metaproterenol.