The Effects of Oral Almitrine on Pattern of Breathing and Gas Exchange in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

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Abstract
Almitrine at a low dose of 100 mg orally significantly raises PaO2 [arterial partial pressure] and lowers PaCO2 in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, compared with placebo, when they were breathing air or 28% O2. The estimated ideal alveolar-arterial PaO2 difference was less after almitrine compared with placebo, when patients were breathing either air or 28% O2. After almitrine, overall ventilation breathing air increased by 10% but this did not reach statistical significance. During 28% O2 breathing, almitrine hardly altered overall ventilation but the inspiratory duty cycle (Ti/Ttot.) decreased and mean inspiratory flow rate (VT/Ti) increased compared with placebo. These changes were significant on a paired t-test (P < 0.05). Changes in both volume and pattern of breathing may explain the improved gas exchange in the lung after almitrine.