Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of newer oral cephalosporins: implications for treatment of community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections.

Full knowledge of the inter-relationships between pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics is important in choosing an appropriate antibiotic, determining its optimal dosage regimen, and predicting which pharmacokinetic parameter(s) should best correlate with clinical efficacy in the treatment of community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). Pharmacodynamics of antibiotics deal with the time-course of drug activity and mechanisms of action of drugs on bacteria. In particular, the bactericidal activity of beta-lactams such as the cephalosporins is dependent upon the time that serum concentrations remain above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of a given organism.

Oral bambuterol compared to inhaled salmeterol in patients with partially reversible chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objective: There is now good evidence that inhaled salmeterol is an effective agent in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),but, at the present time, data on the effects of bambuterol, which is an oral tarbutaline pro-drug, in patients with COPD are scarce. Moreover, no comparative study between bambuterol and salmeterol in patients with chronic obstructive airway disorders has been published. The objective of this research was, consequently, to compare the efficacy and safety of 20 mg oral bambuterol and 50 microg inhaled salmeterol in patients with partially reversible COPD.