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| Class of drugs | Presumed mechanism | Main clinical responses | Major side effects | Recommended use in BPD |
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| Caffeine | Apnea of prematurity Unknown | Reduction in days of positive pressure ventilation, reduction in BPD, lower incidence of neurodevelopmental impairment | Transient decrease in weight gain | Recommended for treatment of apnea of prematurity and prevention of BPD |
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| Diuretics (loop, thiazides) | Pulmonary Edema | Decreased pulmonary edema | Electrolyte imbalance, osteopenia, ototoxicity | Loop: use sparingly in early evolving BPD Thiazides: Consider for judicious chronic use |
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| Bronchodilators (albuterol, ipratropium) | Bronchospasm | Bronchodilation | Tachycardia, arrhythmias | Limit use in infants with bronchospasm and acute clinical response |
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| Steroids (early, moderately early, late, inhaled) | Inflammation | Improved oxygenation, earlier extubation | Short term: hyperglycemia, hypertension, GI perforation
Long term: increased risk for cerebral palsy | Last resort therapy for rapidly deteriorating pulmonary status |
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| Mast cell stabilizer (cromolyn) | Inflammation | No clinical benefit | None reported | Not for routine use |
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| Vitamin A | Impaired lung development | Small reduction in incidence of BPD | None reported | Recommended in infants <1000 grams |
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| Inositol | Impaired lung growth | Decreased incidence of BPD | None reported | Not for routine use |
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| Antioxidants (SOD, NAC,Vitamin E, vitamin C) | Oxidant injury | Delayed benefit from SOD | None reported | Not for routine use |
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| Inhaled NO | Inflammation Oxidant stress Unknown | Possibly beneficial in reducing BPD but optimal timing, dose and duration unknown | IVH in infants <1000 g with early rescue use | Not for routine or rescue use |
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