Prehospital and disaster medicine
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Prehosp Disaster Med · Oct 1996
Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialComparison of inhaled metaproterenol via metered-dose and hand-held nebulization in prehospital treatment of bronchospasm.
Although the efficacy of the administration of beta-adrenergic bronchodilators has been demonstrated, the best method available for the delivery of these drugs in the prehospital setting has not been defined. This paper compares the effects of administration of metaproterenol when administered by paramedics using either a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) or a hand-held nebulizer (HHN). ⋯ In the prehospital setting, the administration of metaproterenol using a hand-held nebulizer is more effective than delivering the drug using a metered-dose inhaler. The hand-held nebulizer is easier to use and delivers a higher dose of the drug than is convenient using the metered-dose inhaler.