Regular β-Adrenergic Agonists

Abstract

Some 30 years ago we found that mortality from asthma was rising. There was no obvious reason for this and therefore a large number of investigations were carried out all over the world. No clear cut cause emerged and thus iatrogenesis was considered as one of the possible causes. β-Agonist sympathominetics in aerosol form and adrenal corticosteroids were the two new agents introduced at about the same time. Suspicion should logically have fallen on these two but only β-agonists were criticized. Apart from stray voices 1 Govindaraj M Deaths from asthma [letter]. BMJ. 1968; I: 515 Crossref Scopus (2) Google Scholar , 2 Ziment I β-agonists and bronchial asthma [letter]. Chest. 1994; 106: 323-324 Google Scholar most looked on steroids as life saving agents and thus beyond reapproach. After much debate and therapeutic correctives, the mortality from asthma has by and large, remained unacceptably high.