DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i06.023

Pages: 1986-1988

The objective is to determine the effect of changing anticholinergic therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from low dose ipratropium to high dose ipratropium on pulmonary function.This study was conducted to evaluate single metered aerosol doses of 20 mcg, 40 mcg, and 80 mcg of ipratropium bromide; and placebo. 20 adult patients with partially reversible airway obstruction were included in the study. They were all tested for 6 hours with each dose range. Spirometric studies were performed 5, 30, 60, 120, 180, 240, 300 and 360 minutes after the dose was administered.The values for FEV1 and FVC were significantly increased within 5 minutes after all doses of ipratropium. The two lower doses ipratropium had significant effects for 3-4 hours, while the 80 mcg dose significantly increased both the FEV1 and FVC for 5 hours. Baseline mean FEV1 (litres) values for placebo, 20 mcg, 40 mcg, and 80 mcg of ipratropium bromide were 1.068, 1.078, 1.080, 1.089 litres respectively. Compared with placebo, each dose of ipratropium bromide produced a significant increase of the mean FEV1 (P<0.05). When compared to baseline value, the FEV1 was significantly greater with 80 mcg than 40 mcg at 5 hours (p<0.05).We concluded that ipratropium 80 mcg shows greater lung function improvement compared to lower doses in obstructive pulmonary diseases.