A comparison of albuterol and metaproterenol nebulizer solutions.

Metaproterenol (15 mg) and albuterol (5 mg) solutions were each nebulized and delivered to 20 patients with reversible airway obstruction utilizing intermittent positive pressure ventilation in a double-blind comparison. Ten subjects were randomly assigned to each group and they were examined at the start (day 0) and at the end of the study (day 7). There were no significant differences observed between the spirometric responses or the untoward effects of the two groups to either agent. Albuterol and metaproterenol, when administered by intermittent positive pressure ventilation, are essentially equivalent in terms of the magnitude and duration of the response.