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The Respiratory System Is An Organ System Responsible For Gas Exchange

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SGT Salter
Instructor: SSG Zedella
RESP 1150
March 09, 2016
Research Paper
Albuterol vs Levalbuterol
The respiratory system is an organ system responsible for gas exchange; one of the main structures of this system being the airways. Many people suffer from obstructive airway diseases, most commonly from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and Asthma. Short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) are a type of bronchodilator that have been successfully used for decades to treat acute airway obstruction. The two most commonly used SABA bronchodilators that treat acute obstructive airways are albuterol and levalbuterol. The National Asthma Education and Prevention Program consider these two medicines the rescue drugs because they are used for …show more content…

The body slowly metabolizes the S-Isomer and it stays in the lungs longer, which could cause paradoxical bronchospasm in the long term. The concerns regarding the potential negative side effects of the S-Isomer led to the development of levalbuterol.
Levalbuterol is the most recent invented short-acting beta agonist drug and was released in 1999. It is the pure R-Isomer of racemic albuterol, which means it doesn’t have the S-Isomer that can potentially cause detrimental effects. The trade name for levalbuterol is Xopenex. Levalbuterol is available in three solution strengths for nebulization. Children between the ages of six to eleven years of age get a dosage of 0.31-mg/3ml and patients of twelve years and older get a dosage of 0.63-mg/3ml. If the patient doesn’t respond to the 0.63-mg/3ml dosage, he or she will get a dosage of 1.25-mg/3ml. Levalbuterol is also available in a metered dose inhaler. There have been constant discussions on whether levalbuterol offers any beneficial advantages over albuterol in the management of airway diseases, since levalbuterol does not have the S-Isomer.
It is important that medication is reliable in its treatment effectiveness as well as the cost aspect. A study conducted by Brunetti, et al., compared the clinical outcomes and costs of albuterol versus levalbuterol for treatment of

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