Combined Use of Beta-Adrenergic Agonists and Methyl Xanthines

Abstract

To the Editor: For many years, pharmacologists have been concerned about the occurrence of myocardial necrosis in animals after the administration of beta-adrenergic agonists.^{1 2 3} Recently, a warning in the FDA Drug Bulletin noted adverse cardiac effects in laboratory animals after the concomitant administration of beta-adrenergic agonists and methyl xanthines (aminophylline and theophylline).⁴ From the response generated by that article, it appears that many clinicians are convinced that intractable cardiac arrhythmias and electrocardiographic changes consistent with myocardial ischemia can occur in some patients from the concurrent administration of these drugs. Nevertheless, there are few hard data in the clinical literature to . . .