Effect of Intravenous Aminophylline on the Arterial Oxygen Saturation in Chronic Bronchitis.

A decrease in arterial oxygen saturation (Sao2) has been observed to follow intravenous aminophylline administration in patients with chronic pulmonary disease (Halmagyi and Cotes, 1959). The decrease in Sao2 occurred 40 minutes or more after the injection in a group of patients who had shown an increase in maximum breathing capacity (M.B.C.) in response to the drug. The onset of symptomatic relief may occur within 15 minutes of the intravenous injection of aminophylline in patients with chronic bronchitis. In view of these observations the present study was designed to measure arterial blood gases and ventilation perfusion ratios at intervals between 2 and 50 minutes after intravenous injection of aminophylline in patients with chronic bronchitis.