Focused on Every Breath

Provocholine® is indicated in adults and children (5 years old and above) able to perform reproducible spirometry for the diagnosis of non-specific bronchial airway hyper-reactivity who do not have clinically apparent asthma but with a clinical history suggestive of the condition and with normal spirometry. This medicinal product is for diagnostic use only. Provocholine is to be administered only by inhalation. The challenge testing for Provocholine must only be carried out under specialist medical supervision by a doctor familiar with all aspects of the methacholine inhalation challenge testing technique, all contraindications, warnings and precautions, and the management of respiratory failure. The patient must never be left unattended during the testing. Emergency equipment and medication must be available immediately to treat acute respiratory failure. As a result of the administration of Provocholine severe bronchoconstriction and a reduction in respiratory function may occur. Patients with airway hyper-reactivity can experience bronchoconstriction with doses as low as 0.031 mg / mL. If severe bronchoconstriction occurs, this must be immediately reversed by administration of a rapid-acting inhaled bronchodilator agent (beta-agonist). Contraindications include hypersensitivity to the active substance or other parasympathomimetic agents, baseline respiratory function tests below the limit (baseline FEV1 less than 60% of predicted (in adults and children) and with a baseline FEV1 less than 1.5 L (in adults), and treatment with beta blockers, since the response to methacholine chloride can be emphasized or prolonged and the patient may not respond easily to the treatment used for the restoration of respiration and alleviation of symptoms. Undesirable effects associated with inhaled methacholine chloride challenge tests include headache, dizziness, throat irritation, and itching.