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Regular vs as-needed inhaled salbutamol in asthma control
K R Chapman1, S Kesten, J P Szalai
1Asthma Centre, Toronto Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
Lancet (London, England)
|June 4, 1994
Summary
Regular use of salbutamol, a common asthma medication, did not worsen peak flow rates. In fact, regular use led to fewer asthma symptoms and less need for rescue inhalers compared to as-needed use.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Recent studies suggest regular use of inhaled beta 2 agonists may impair asthma control.
- The extent of this effect and the reliability of control definitions are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of regular versus as-needed salbutamol administration on asthma control.
- To compare peak flow rates, asthma symptoms, and bronchodilator use between the two treatment regimens.
Main Methods:
- A four-week, randomized, crossover trial involving 341 individuals with asthma.
- Participants received regular salbutamol (200 micrograms, 4 times daily) for two weeks and as-needed salbutamol for two weeks.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in morning and evening peak flow rates were observed between regular and as-needed salbutamol use.
- Regular salbutamol use was associated with significantly fewer asthma symptoms and less frequent need for supplementary bronchodilators.
- Asthma episodes and supplementary salbutamol use were significantly lower with regular administration compared to as-needed use.
Conclusions:
- Regularly administered salbutamol in moderate asthma does not result in lower peak flow rates compared to as-needed use.
- Regular salbutamol administration is linked to improved asthma symptom control and reduced reliance on rescue inhalers.