[The combined drug ascoril in the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease concurrent with coronary heart disease]

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of the combined drug ascoril (Glenmark, India) in patients with grade I-Ii chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) concurrent with coronary heart disease (CHD).

Subjects and methods: Sixty patients, including 12 (20%) women and 48 (80%) men, aged 43 to 68 years (mean age 55.1 +9.9 years), with COPD were examined. The patients were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 used the combined broncholytic and expectorant drug ascoril and Group 2 took mucolytic agent ambroxol. The follow-up period was 7 days.

Results: On day 2 of ascoril treatment, all the patients showed a significant reduction in the intensity of cough that was completely relieved in 26 (87%) patients by treatment day 7. Prior to ascoril treatment, heart rate (HR) was 64.4+/-5.5 beats/min. A significant increase in HR to 72.7+/-10.1 beats/min was observed 20 min after the first drug intake (p < 0.05) and a decrease to 68.6+/-10.5 beats/min was seen after 60 min. On treatment day 7, HR was 63.0+/-6.5 beats/min, which was similar to that before ascoril treatment (p = 0.6).

Conclusion: In the patients with COPD concurrent with CHD, the combined drug ascoril exerts broncholytic and expectorant effects, with no pronounced negative action on HR.