[Current concepts of bronchial fluidifiers (author's transl)].

Having summarised recent studies of the biochemical and rheological nature of bronchial secretions, the authors envisage different types of drugs which modify bronchial secretions: mucolytic agents, drugs modifying local water equilibrium and mucoregulators. According to the modes of action of these drugs and the nature of the secretory disturbances, the authors propose new therapeutic schemes. The treatment of chronic bronchial hypersecretion should not necessarily aim to fluidify the secretions but should normalize their rheological properties in order to improve mucociliary transport. The various fluidifiers and regulators of bronchial secretions are in no way interchangeable and should only be used when appropriate.