[The new anticholinergic bronchospasmolytic oxitropium bromide. Is long lasting protective effect through the night]

Oxitropium bromide (Ba 253, Boehringer, Ingelheim) is a scopolamine-like atropine derivate with a mode of action approximating to that of ipratropium bromide (Atrovent, Sch 1000). The peak effect and duration of bronchodilatation with oxitropium bromide appears to be better than that of ipratropium bromide. Fifteen patients with a stable chronic bronchial obstruction were investigated in a double blind cross-over study. The obstruction was partially reversible by beta-stimulation. The patients inhaled 0.2 mg oxitropium bromide or placebo at 9.30 p.m. after two controls of FEV1 at 9 p.m. and 9.15 p.m. We re-examined the patients at 7 a.m. and 7.15 a.m. the following day and observed a significant parasympathetic additional obstruction under placebo, whereas, under the medication with oxitropium bromide overnight, significant bronchodilation was observable. When 0.2 mg oxitropium bromide was given at 7.30 a.m. to all patients, those pretreated with placebo showed significantly better bronchodilation than those pretreated with oxitropium bromide. It is concluded that oxitropium bromide is a long-acting (10 hours) overnight bronchodilator. The bronchodilation is probably due to prolonged parasympathicolysis in the airways.