The Effect of Almitrine Bismesylate on Hypoxemia in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

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Abstract
Almitrine bismesylate was studied for its effects on hypoxemia in 67 patients with chronic obstructive lung disease in a placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Arterial Po2 rose by 11.2 mm Hg (p < 0.05) in 21 patients receiving 100 mg twice daily and by 6.0 mm Hg (p < 0.05) in 22 patients receiving 50 mg twice daily. Arterial Pco2 decreased by 3.8 mm Hg (p < 0.05) in the group receiving 100 mg twice daily but was unchanged in patients receiving 50 mg twice daily. Lung function was unaltered except for a slight increase in forced mid-expiratory flow in both dosage groups (p < 0.05). The major side effect was the unexplained worsening of dyspnea, which occurred in 4 patients (19%) receiving 100 mg twice daily, 2 (9%) receiving 50 mg twice daily group, and 1 (4%) receiving placebo. Almitrine bismesylate improves arterial blood gas values in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease, apparently by reducing intrapulmonary ventilation-perfusion mismatching, and appears to be useful in the long-term management of these patients.