Serum potassium responses to nebulized salbutamol administered during an acute asthmatic attack

A prospective study of 20 patients presenting to an accident and emergency department with an exacerbation of pre-existing reversible airways disease was undertaken in order to determine whether such patients incurred any changes in their serum potassium following administration of 5 mg of nebulized...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of emergency medicine 1989-03, Vol.6 (1), p.22-26
Main Authors: DaCruz, D, Holburn, C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aerosols
Albuterol - adverse effects
Albuterol - therapeutic use
Asthma - blood
Asthma - complications
Asthma - drug therapy
Female
Humans
Hypokalemia - chemically induced
Male
Potassium - blood
Prospective Studies
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Summary:A prospective study of 20 patients presenting to an accident and emergency department with an exacerbation of pre-existing reversible airways disease was undertaken in order to determine whether such patients incurred any changes in their serum potassium following administration of 5 mg of nebulized salbutamol. Electrolytes were estimated before and 30 min after administration of nebulized salbutamol. No other drug was administered during this period. Results indicate that nebulized salbutamol can cause a significant hypokalaemic response in such situations. Eight out of the 20 patients studied demonstrated falls in serum potassium of more than 0.3 mmol/l. Most of the falls in serum potassium occurred in patients with low pre-treatment PCO2 values; a group of patients with less severe respiratory distress. This preliminary study indicates that a further study aimed at elucidating the clinical significance of nebulized salbutamol-induced hypokalaemia is required.
ISSN:0264-4924
1472-0205
1472-0213
DOI:10.1136/emj.6.1.22