ISSN 2756-3812
International Journal of Medical Advances and Discoveries ISSN 2756-3812 Vol. 4 (5), pp. 001-006, May, 2013. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Effects of Albuterol vs. Levalbuterol on Pulmonary Function in Moderate to Severe Bronchial Asthma: A Comparative Study
Kavita Rathore1, Tarun Kumar Sharma2*, M. L. Aseri1, Sunil Kumar Mathur1, Rakesh Chandra Gupta3, Satish Kumar Vardey4, G. G. Kaushik5 and Maheep Sinha4
1Department of Pharmacology, J. L. N. Medical College, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India.
2Department of Biochemistry, Pt. B. D. Sharma, University of Health Sciences, P.G.I.M.S., Rohtak (Haryana), India
124001.
3Department of Respiratory Medicine, J. L. N. Medical College, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India.
4Department of Biochemistry, S. M. S. Medical College, Jaipur, India.
5Department of Biochemistry, J. L. N. Medical College, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India.
Accepted 1 November, 2012
Abstract
β2 - adrenoceptor stimulants play a key role in the management of bronchial asthma. This study was carried out on 80 patients of moderate to severe bronchial asthma. Group I (n = 40) received Albuterol 2.5 mg/2.5 ml and Group II (n = 40) received Levalbuterol 0.63 mg/2.5 ml TDS for 4 weeks. Baseline and post-treatment evaluation of lung function, respiratory rate, Total leukocytes Count, Total eosinophil Count, Serum potassium and Heart rate were carried out. In group I, Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 s was increased from 1.565±0.53 to 1.74±0.64 L (p>0.05) and in group II it was increased from 1.48±0.91 to 2.10±0.70 L (p<0.05). Forced vital capacity and Peak Expiratory Forced Rate were also increased in both groups (p<0.05). Respiratory rate and Total eosinophil count were significantly decreased by both drugs. Total leukocyte count was decreased non-significantly by both drugs (p>0.05). Serum potassium was decreased in group I from 3.77±0.38 to 2.96±0.49 mEq/L (p = 0.001) and in group II from 3.79±0.57 to 3.51±0.56 mEq/L (P = 0.017). Heart rate was significantly increased by both drugs, but it was greater with Albuterol. Levalbuterol appears to be more effective with better tolerability in low dose as compare to Albuterol.
Keywords: Albuterol, Levalbuterol, bronchial asthma, bronchodilation, β2-agonists.