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Questions about inhaled beta 2-adrenoceptor agonists in asthma
1Department of Thoracic Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, London, UK.
Trends in Pharmacological Sciences
|January 1, 1992
Abstract:
The safety of the most widely prescribed antiasthma drugs, beta 2-adrenoceptor agonists, has recently been questioned. Issues such as their suitability for long-term and regular prophylactic use are addressed in this Comment article by Peter Barnes and Fan Chung, who examine the possibility that the beta 2-agonists themselves contribute to worsening symptoms in asthma patients, thus setting up a vicious circle with greater use of the drugs. They conclude that it would be prudent to restrict the use of beta 2-agonists in asthma to on-demand immediate symptom control.