Effect of intravenous alprenolol on ventilatory function and blood gas values in established obstructive airways disease

Intravenous administration of the beta-adrenergic blocking drug, alprenolol, to a group of patients with severe obstructive disease of the airways caused no deterioration of symptoms and a clinically insignificant fall in FEV1 in the majority. A minor reduction in PaO2 occurred which suggests that alprenolol may cause local hypoventilation and/or pulmonary arteriovenous shunting. The presence of obstructive disease of the airways does not seem to pose an absolute contraindication to the use of alprenolol, although caution must be exercised in its use in such patients.