Salbutamol and cardiac arrhythmias.

A study was carried out in 7 patients with chronic obstructive airways disease to investigate the possibility of serious cardiovascular effects after the intravenous infusion of salbutamol. Patients received salbutamol starting at 5 micrograms/min and increasing gradually to 20 micrograms/min. There results of blood gas analysis showed that all but one of the patients were hypoxic and there was evidence of improved ventilation at the end of the first hour of infusion in most, with a mean reduction of 0.43 kPa in PaCO2. The patients' ECGs were monitored continuously before and during the infusion. There was an increase in mean heart rate, but not significant arrhythmias clearly provoked by salbutamol were seen. It is concluded that these findings indicate that any cardiovascular risks with parenteral salbutamol are negligible.