Curr Ther Res Clin E
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Curr Ther Res Clin E · Jan 2004
Pharmacokinetic properties and tolerability of single-dose terbutaline in patients with severe asthma treated in the pediatric intensive care unit.
Asthmatic children requiring treatment in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) receive aggressive drug therapy that may include IV administration of β 2-receptor agonists to prevent progression to life-threatening respiratory failure. The only pharmacologic agent in this class currently available for parenteral use in the United States is terbutaline. Study of IV dosing of terbutaline in the pediatric population has been limited. ⋯ Single-dose IV terbutaline was well tolerated in this study. In maximally treated asthmatic patients in the PICU, terbutaline elimination may be more rapid than in nonacutely ill children. These PK data suggest that if the drug is to be administered intravenously, the continuous IV infusion method, including loading doses for any subsequent dose escalations, may be the most appropriate. The influence of age and safety of long-term, continuous terbutaline IV infusion requires further study.