Clinical Pharmacology of Bronchodilator Medications

Obstructive lung diseases, including asthma and COPD, are characterized by air-flow limitation. Bronchodilator therapy can often decrease symptoms of air-flow obstruction by relaxing airway smooth muscle (bronchodilation), decreasing dyspnea, and improving quality of life. In this review, we discuss the pharmacology of the β agonist and anticholinergic bronchodilators and their use, particularly in asthma and COPD. Expanding knowledge of receptor subtypes and G-protein signaling, agonist and antagonist specificity, and drug delivery have led to the introduction of safer medications with fewer off-target effects, medications with longer duration of action that may improve adherence, and more effective and efficient aerosol delivery devices.