Glucose tolerance following oral salbutamol treatment in late pregnancy

Previous studies in pregnancy have shown that intravenous infusion of beta 2-sympathomimetic drugs, such as salbutamol, is followed by pronounced carbohydrate and lipid metabolic effects. Similar effects, though less pronounced, have also been demonstrated after oral salbutamol administration. Glucose elimination and insulin response after an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) were analyzed in 12 women treated with oral salbutamol in the last trimester of pregnancy. IVGTT was performed without salbutamol and after at least 10 and up to 45 days of salbutamol treatment. No significant difference in either glucose elimination or insulin response to the glucose load were observed as a consequence of the salbutamol medication. This is in agreement with previous studies of other beta 2-sympathomimetic drugs and indicates that the use of salbutamol in late pregnancy does not give rise to serious disturbances of carbohydrate metabolism in healthy women.