TREMOR IN HEALTHY-VOLUNTEERS AFTER BAMBUTEROL AND TERBUTALINE CR-TABLETS

Bambuterol tablets, 10 and 20 mg, and terbutaline CR-tablets, 5 and 7. 5 mg, have been compared for their capacity to produce subjectively de termined tremor in a randomised, double-blind, cross-over study in 40 healthy volunteers. The duration of each treatment was one week, with an intervening washout period of at least 2 weeks. On the second and t he last treatment days in each period, tremor was subjectively assesse d on six occasions. In addition, an overall assessment of night and da y tremor was made each morning and evening. Analyses were made for the second and last treatment days and during the treatment week. Paired comparisons for tremor during daytime showed a significant difference between the treatments, with the exception of bambuterol 20 mg and ter butaline 5 mg. Bambuterol 10 mg caused less tremor and terbutaline 7.5 mg caused more tremor than the other treatments. At the end of the we ek, the differences were smaller and were only significant when compar ing bambuterol 10 mg with the 20 mg dose and with high dose terbutalin e. Terbutaline 7.5 mg caused more, tremor at night than the other trea tments. The tremor experienced was generally mild, and after bambutero l 10 mg it was almost negligible (mean 0.13 after the first dose). Two subjects recorded a score of 3 after terbutaline 7.5 mg. The results indicate that, in doses equipotent with regard to bronchodilation, tre mor is less pronounced after bambuterol as compared to controlled rele ase tablets of terbutaline.