Effect of salbutamol on oxygen saturation in COPD.

The effect of nebulized salbutamol on oxygen saturation in COPD was evaluated in this study. Twenty patients aged 56-75 years with stable COPD were recruited to the study. All patients received 5 mg of salbutamol nebulizer driven by oxygen at 8 L/min. The SaO2 was then measured continuously and readings were taken before and every minute after salbutamol inhalation by face mask. Following treatment, mean SaO2 was significantly lower than preinhalation values. The desaturation occurred from 3 minutes and reached the maximum desaturation at 15 minutes postinhalation. At 30 minutes, SaO2 had returned to baseline values. The findings suggest that salbutamol nebulization induced prolonged desaturation in COPD.