[Bronchial obstruction exacerbated during beta blocker therapy]

The authors analyse data of 40 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in whom the bronchial obstruction made such a severe progress during beta-blocker therapy necessary to admit them to the hospital. Most of them were middle-aged patients with chronic bronchitis, only 8 suffered from bronchial asthma. Because of cardial disorders, usually beta-blockers were given for several days (1/3-rd of the patients received Betaloc, a cardioselective drug), besides 2/3-rd of them received bronchodilator therapy, too. In spite of this, all patients needed hospitalize because of dyspnoea, obstruction, and hypoxaemia in 1/3-rd. Although deterioration of their condition has resulted, beta-blocker wasn't discontinued by the medical attendant, notwithstanding chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was known previously in 33 patients.