Abstract

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a slowly progressive airwayobstruction characterized by expiratory airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. Short actingselective beta2 agonists are used as first line drugs for the management of airway obstruction in patientswith stable disease. AIM: To compare and evaluate the efficacy and adverse effect profile among two commonly used beta2agonists, racemic salbutamol and levosalbutamol. METHODS: A parallel, comparative and prospective study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of2mg racemic salbutamol and 1 mg Levosalbutamol given orally thrice a day for a period of 21 days. Allthe patients underwent lung function assessment by spirometry before initiating the study and the samewere repeated every week thereafter. Subjective assessment of side effects was done at every follow upvisit. The results were analysed statistically. RESULTS: Mean Forced expiratory flow in the first second (FEV1) before and after therapy in theracemic salbutamol group was 1.54 and 1.58 and in levosalbutamol group was 1.66 and 1.72 respectivelywith significant improvement in both the groups. Percentage of forced expiratory volume in the firstsecond (%FEV1) before and after therapy in racemic salbutamol group was 76.51% and 78.4% and inlevosalbutamol group 75.29 % and 78.43% respectively. Adverse affects such as palpitations, tremors,headache and anxiety were significantly low in levosalbutamol group. CONCLUSION: Both racemic salbutamol and levosalbutamol are significantly effective in relieving thesymptoms of COPD but in terms of tolerability and safety, levosalbutamol was found to be superior tosalbutamol.

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