Effects of racemic epinephrine inhalation on cardiopulmonary function in normal man and in patients with chronic pulmonary emphysema.

Epinephrine inhalation is now widely used to provide bronchodilator therapy for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary emphysema. In this study a variety of cardiorespiratory effects following epinephrine inhalation have been examined to compare responses in normal and emphysematous subjects, and to evaluate possible differences between inhalational and parenteral usage of the drug. Since previous studies on the effects of epinephrine in emphysematous patients have been largely concerned with the respiratory apparatus, particular attention here has been directed toward the pulmonary circulation.