Comparison of the metabolic effects of salbutamol administered in a one-minute bolus and a continuous infusion in patients with bronchial asthma.

A 1-min i.v. bolus injection of 300 microgram salbutamol produced transient hypokalemia in asthmatic patients, whereas continuous i.v. infusion of 10 microgram/min salbutamol for 30 for 30 min produced significant and sustained hypokalemia. The 1-min bolus infusion of salbutamol has a distinct therapeutic advantage over continuous infusion of this drug, because the hypokalemia produced by the latter may predispose to serious cardiac arrhythmias.