A new bronchodilator, rimiterol hydrobromide (R 798): An open study of the bronchodilator, cardiovascular and arterial oxygen changes in asthmatic patients.

IN this study, rimiterol has been shown to have a rapid, potent and fairly well maintained bronchodilator effect when given as an aerosol.When given in doses of three (1.5 mg.) and nine (4.5 mg.) times a previously reported 'reference' dose (0.5 mg.), there were no statistically significant increases in heart rate and no untoward changes in the electrocardiogram.The small reductions in arterial oxygen saturation recorded were appreciably less than those reported for the same patients after exercise.The circadian variation in P.E.F.R. was measured in four asthmatic patients and the increase occurring in the afternoon may mask the waning effect of a bronchodilator drug. This would appear to increase the difficulty of interpreting the results of bronchodilator trials extending over several hours.