Combination therapy--a review of clinical studies.

Nine papers which have specifically examined the effects of combining sympathomimetic bronchodilator therapy with ipratropium bromide in the treatment of patients with airflow obstruction are reviewed. The published evidence suggests that the use of combination therapy in the more elderly bronchitic patients is now justified, but that the case for routinely giving such treatment to younger asthmatic patients needs further evaluation before any definite recommendation can be made.