Beta Blockers for the Treatment of Asthma
Current asthma medicines include inhalers. A common inhaler used in asthma is called a beta-agonist (for example salbutamol). They improve asthma symptoms by stimulating areas in the human airway resulting in widening of the human airway. Although these drugs are useful after the first dose, longterm use can cause worsening asthma symptoms.
Beta-blockers are the complete opposite type of medication. Just now they are avoided in patients with asthma as after the first dose they can cause airway narrowing and cause an asthma attack.
New research has suggested that long term use of beta-blockers can reduce airway inflammation which can improve asthma control and improve symptoms.
This research was done in asthmatic patients who didn't need inhaled steroids to control their asthma. What the investigators want to do is see if the same benefit of beta-blocker use is asthma can be seen in people who take inhaled steroids.
|Study Design:||Allocation: Randomized
Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Investigator)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:||Evaluation of Beta Blockers for the Treatment of Asthma. A Randomised Controlled Trial of Propranolol|
- To establish effects of chronic dosing with 'beta-blockers' on airway tone and hyperreactivity in mild asthmatics. [ Time Frame: 6 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
|Study Start Date:||May 2010|
|Study Completion Date:||March 2012|
|Primary Completion Date:||March 2012 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)|
Chronic dose escalation of propranolol over period of 6 to 8 weeks.
10mg twice daily escalated to 80mg once daily
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Matched placebo used for dose escalation period of 6 to 8 weeks
|Asthma and Allergy Research Group, Unviersity of Dundee|
|Dundee, United Kingdom, DD1 9SY|
|Principal Investigator:||Brian J Lipworth, MD||University of Dundee|