Clinical efficacy and safety of the combination of ipratropium bromide and fenoterol inhaled via the Respimat Soft Mist inhaler for relief of airflow obstruction.

Bronchodilators are key drugs in symptomatic as well as maintenance treatment of obstructive lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. The short-acting anticholinergic ipratropium bromide and the short-acting beta(2)-adrenergic receptor agonist fenoterol hydrobromide have been available for combined use both as a pressurized metered-dose inhaler and as a solution for nebulization. Their combination at half the dose in the novel device, the Respimat Soft Mist inhaler (RMT), has been shown to provide therapeutic equivalence to their combination into a conventional pressurized metered-dose inhaler, both in terms of efficacy and safety in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma, both adults and children. Dose reduction with the RMT has been made possible due to the physical characteristics of the aerosol cloud emitted from the RMT, facilitating correct inhalation and ensuring higher pulmonary deposition of the aerosolized bronchodilators. Post-marketing studies using validated questionnaires confirm a high level of satisfaction with the performance and convenience of the RMT device, a large majority of patients preferring the RMT to other inhaler systems.