Review Article
Pharmacotherapy of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Clinical Review
Table 1
Mode of administration, chemical structure, lipophilicity (
), and half time (
) of
-receptor agonists.
| | Compound | Mode of administration | Chemical structure | | |
| | Salbutamol | Inhalation (MDI, DPI, and solution), oral, and intravenous |  | 1.4 | 1.6 hours | | Terbutaline | Inhalation (DPI), oral |  | 1.4 | 5.5–5.9 hours | | Fenoterol | Inhalation (MDI, solution), oral |  | 1.36 | 45 min | | Salmeterol | Inhalation (MDI, DPI) |  | 4.2 | 5.5 hours | | Formoterol | Inhalation (MDI, DPI, and solution) |  | 2.2 | 10 hours | | Indacaterol | Inhalation (DPI) |  | 3.9 | 40–60 hours | | Arformoterol (R,R)-enantiomer of formoterol | Inhalation (solution) |  | 2.2 | 26 hours | | Carmoterol | Inhalation (MDI, DPI) |  | NA | 48 hours | | Levalbuterol (R,R)-enantiomer of salbutamol | Inhalation (MDI, solution) |  | 1.4 | 1.6 hours | | Vilanterol | Inhalation (MDI, DPI) |  | 3.8 | NA |
|
|
MDI: metered-dose inhaler, DPI: dry power inhaler.
|
