JOURNAL HOME CME HOME THIS MONTH PAST ISSUES ETOC COLLECTIONS AUTHORS REVIEWERS EDITORIAL BOARD FEEDBACK RSS HELP
		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Thorburn, J. R. Articles by Du Toit, P. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Thorburn, J. R. Articles by Du Toit, P. S.

Comparison of the Effects of Atropine and Glycopyrrolate on Pulmonary Mechanics in Patients Undergoing Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy

Received from the Departments of Anaesthesia, Medicine, and Statistics, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Abstract

The effects of atropine and glycopyrrolate on forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expired volume in one second (FEV₁), the FEV₁/FVC ratio, and peak expiratory flow (PFL) were compared in 44 patients undergoing fiberoptic bronchoscopy under general anesthesia. Both anticholinergic agents improved pulmonary function equally before general anesthesia, but in both groups there was a small and again equal deterioration in pulmonary function after the procedure. The protective effects of the two drugs were not significantly different. Because of the lower incidence of undesirable side effects, glycopyrrolate is recommended as the anticholinergic agent of choice for bronchoscopy.

Key Words: PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM—atropine, glycopyrrolate. • LUNG—blood flow.

Anesthesia & Analgesia® is published for the International Anesthesia Research Society® by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins with the assistance of Stanford University Libraries' HighWire Press®. Copyright 2006 by the International Anesthesia Research Society. Online ISSN: 1526-7598   Print ISSN: 0003-2999