Pharmacodynamics of salbutamol in humans

Twenty patients with mild chronic bronchial asthma (females and males between 45-69 years old) treated with single dose of 0.5 mg at 1 ml of salbutamol were investigated. Measurements of heart rate, blood pressure, peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and plasma concentration or glucose, potassium and non-esterified fatty acids-NEFA, and salbutamol plasma levels were recorded at the same time before and 2, 5, 15, 30, 60, 75, 90, 120, 180, 240, and 360 min after salbutamol injection. Decrease in heart rate, blood systolic pressure and metabolic changes correlated with the salbutamol plasma level. Increase in PEFR was elevated much longer.