Abstract
THE ROLE of parasympathetic stimulation of the tracheobronchial tree in the obstructive pulmonary disorders of asthma and chronic bronchitis has not been separated from the multiple factors involved in the pathophysiologic characteristics of these conditions. Parasympathetic stimulation results in constriction of bronchial smooth muscle and enhanced glandular secretory activity. 1 Occasionally, parasympatholytic agents have been used as bronchodilators but have been mainly avoided because of the potential danger of drying secretions. Most current bronchodilator therapy for obstructive airway disease is based on the use of sympathomimetic or methylxanthine agents or both. This report describes a patient with severe bronchorrhea as the primary manifestation of his obstructive airway disease. The prompt response to aerosolized atropine sulfate suggested that increased parasympathetic efferent activity was largely responsible for his bronchorrhea. Report of a Case A 54-year-old man was hospitalized for evaluation of a chronic productive cough of eight months' duration. The cough had
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
