Anticholinergic therapy in chronic asthma.

Although 'chronic asthma' is a loosely defined disease, it may be equated approximately with non-allergic or 'intrinsic' asthma arising in adult life. In patients with this condition anticholinergic agents, particularly ipratropium bromide, have been shown to have a useful and rather prolonged bronchodilator action. This bronchodilatation approaches that achieved by therapeutic doses of Beta-agonists and is not associated with undesirable effects such as difficulty in sputum clearance. In conclusion anticholinergic agents are a safe and useful adjunct to other bronchodilators in patients with chronic asthma.