The respiratory therapist notes in the medical record of a patient ordered to receive bronchodilator therapy with Albuterol, who is also on beta-blocker medication. What should the therapist recommend?

The recommendation to switch from Albuterol to ipratropium bromide (Atrovent) is grounded in the understanding of the interactions between bronchodilator therapies and beta-blocker medications. Albuterol is a short-acting beta-agonist that can stimulate beta-2 receptors in the lungs, leading to bronchodilation. However, in patients who are on beta-blockers, particularly non-selective beta-blockers, there is a potential risk that the beta-agonist effects of Albuterol may be inhibited or blocked, which could diminish its therapeutic benefits for controlling bronchospasm.

Ipratropium bromide is an anticholinergic bronchodilator that works through a different mechanism than beta-agonists. It primarily blocks acetylcholine at parasympathetic sites in bronchial smooth muscle, thereby inducing bronchodilation without engaging beta receptors. This makes ipratropium a more suitable alternative in patients who are on beta-blockers, reducing the risk of a drug-drug interaction while still providing the necessary bronchodilation.

The other options do not offer the same level of appropriateness for this particular patient scenario. For instance, substituting Dexamethasone in place of Albuterol would shift the focus from a