Effects of racemic epinephrine (Micronefrine) administered by intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) in airway obstruction: a double-blind study.

Racemic epinephrine in doses of 4.5 and 9 mg were administered by IPPV with a Bird Mark 8 in a double-blind, crossover study on consecutive days to 12 normal subjects and to 12 patients with airways obstruction. Normal subjects did not react with any clinically significant change in pulse rate or blood pressure. PEFR in the patients increased by an average of 35% from 5 to 60 minutes after 4.5 mg and by 44-42% after 9 mg. The increase after the larger dose was significantly larger five minutes after inhalation. There was no clinically significant change in pulse rate or blood pressure but a slightly greater frequency of mild side effects among the normal subjects and after the larger dose.