[Occurrence of pulmonary oedemas without myocardial necroses under beta 2-sympathomimetic therapy with fenoterol (experimental investigations in the rabbit (author's transl)].

Experimental investigations in the rabbit were aimed at solving the question whether the development of a pulmonary oedema during tocolytic therapy with beta 2-sympathomimetics can be explained by hyperhydration, since myocardial necroses are not likely to be the cause of a pulmonary-oedema at the standard clinical dosage level. Fenoterol is infused over a period of 24 hours in combination with low (2.5 mgl/h) and high (30 ml/h) supply of liquid (isotonic solution, Sterofundin). Essential changes in the measured parameters occur only if the quantity infused is high. The following findings were established: 1. an increase in the liquid content of the lung and heart from 80 to 90%. 2. blood gas analysis revealed marked signs of a ventilatory disturbance, 3. histologically, the lungs showed partly massive changes pointing to the presence of an interstitial and intraalveolar oedema. Since no myocardial necroses can be histologically identified, the pulmonary insufficiency cannot be due to cardiac decompensation as a result of myocardial necroses.