Susphrine: The asthma wonder drug of old

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Monday, January 12, 2009
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There have been treatments for asthma for at least a thousand years. The ancients used jimson weed to relax the muscles surrounding the large airways in the lungs (these are known as anticholinergic agents for you drug nerds out there). When epinepherine (epi) was first discovered in 1903, i...

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Suspherine
Amy Abascal
Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 02:06 PM

Wow, you just wrote the story of my childhood. I actually remember the first time that a doctor introduced an inhaler to me --I think it was alupent, not albuterol. I also remember when they sent a nebulizer home with us --that was definitely alupent.

Honestly, I am so thankful for albuterol which has saved me from being rushed to to the ER for a suspherine shot every time I get weazy.

re: Suspherine
erdoktor
Thursday, May 07, 2009 at 08:36 AM

I have been, (and still am), an ER doc for 21 years. I truly miss Susphrine. I found this story by searching for it to see if anyone still makes it. Yes, the newer drugs are great, but every once in awhile, there is a pt who comes to the ER that doesn't respond to anything but epinephrine. When that happens now, that pt has to be admitted, since epi will wear off in about 3 hours or so. Susphrine (which stood for "sustained epinephrine") was used in these pt's in the past since it would last 6 to 8 hours. By then, the steroids we gave these pt's would "kick in" and prevent the relapse. It is unfortunate that we no longer have Susphrine in our arsenal.

re: re: Suspherine
erdoktor
Thursday, May 07, 2009 at 08:38 AM

Also, Susphrine was "sustained epinephrine" because it was epinephrine in an oil base that allowed it to be absorbed slowly.

re: re: re: Suspherine
Rick Frea
Saturday, May 09, 2009 at 01:26 AM

Thanks Dr. erdoktor for sharing your Susphrine wisdom. I have spent a long time searching for the information you just provided.

bring back susphrine
mommyasthma
Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 12:45 PM

I too have been in love with susphrine since childhood, many times the only rescue I had. It had been extemely difficult for me since the drug was pulled off the market du to efficacy of the drug. I offered many times to sign a waiver or anything just to have it available to me during an attack, to no avail. I now have to settle for epi ( which now given IM in the thigh works rapidly) and IV magnesium. It certainly helps but the reaction time seems to be longer and it doesn't last as long. My hope is that susphrine would be revitalized and provided to those it helped so much.