[Hexoprenaline--a new tocolytic for treatment of premature labor]

Hexoprenaline is a selective beta 2-mimetic drug used in tocology for the prevention of premature labor and immature birth. From clinical application of the drug in bronchospasm therapy its selectivity, which is due to the elongated nitrogen substituent, is well-known. Because of the relatively small stimulation of cardiac beta 1-receptors the side-effects related therewith are less pronounced than with other beta-mimetics. The extent of tachycardia depends on the initial sympathomimetic condition of the patients. The success rate for hexoprenaline tocolyses is 34-78%, dependent on the initial tocological condition. The advantage of hexoprenaline compared with other tocolytics on the basis of experience made so far seems to relate to the smaller increase in chronotropy and the better tolerability.