Comparison of fenoterol, ipratropium bromide, and their combination in patients with asthma or chronic airflow obstruction

Abstract

Berotec (0.4 mg fenoterol hydrobromide, regimen B), Atrovent (0.08 mg ipratropium bromide, regimen A) and Duovent (0.2 mg fenoterol hydrobromide and 0.08 mg ipratropium bromide, regimen D) were administered by metered dose inhalers (MDI) to 12 patients with asthma (regimens D and B only) and 12 patients with chronic airflow obstruction (CAO). The increase in FEV1 was similar after all regimens, but greater in the patients with asthma than those with CAO. In the patients with asthma, the increase in FVC was greater after Berotec than Duovent but the difference may not be clinically important. In the patients with CAO, the increase in FVC was greater after Duovent than after the other regimens. Subjective side effects were commoner after Berotec than the other regimens, hence in the doses used Duovent may offer some clinical advantage as compared with Berotec and Atrovent used alone.