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Bronchodilators

Complications

The effects of bronchodilators, including the side effects, occur as a result of the aerosolized medications being absorbed into the circulation. The most common complications experienced in relation using adrenergic bronchodilators include:

While all patients using andrenergic bronchodilators will experience one or more of these side effects, some will be more sensitive to the adverse effects than others. Careful monitoring is essential when treating respiratory patients with andrenergic bronchodilators, and should include:

• assessment of pulse and respiratory rate before, during and after treatment

• ausculation of lungs before and after treatment

• observation for systemic symptoms of side effects such as tremor, sweating, or fatigue

Treatments should be suspended or terminated should serious side effects occur.

Beta Adrenergic Medications

Adrenergic drugs used to treat patients with pulmonary problems can be divided into three classes:

1. Catacholamines: a group of compounds having a sympathomimetic action, the aromatic portion of whose molecule is catechol and the diaphatic portion. Examples of catecholamines are dopamine, epinephrine, isoproterenol, norepinephrine, and isoetharine.
2. Resorcinols: modification of the catechol nucleus produces a resorcinol which is not metabolized by the enzyme COMT, giving them a longer duration of action, while the size of the amine side chain confers beta₂ specificity for metaproterenol and terbutaline.
3. Saligenins: a different modification of the catechol nucleus results in the saligenin albuterol. Pirbuterol is structural similar to albuterol, is less potent on a weight basis, but is similar in both efficacy and toxicity to metaproterenol.