Cardiopulmonary Effect of Doxapram after Balanced Anesthesia with Pethidine-Diazepam-Nitrous Oxide

Doxapram is a central and peripheral respiratory stimulant that has been primarily used to counteract postanesthetic respiratory depression.

Administration of opioid in doses sufficient to produce anesthesia is invariably associated with respiratory depression.

While opioid-induced depression can be reversed by appropriate specific opioid antagonists, it has not been possible to ify the respiratory depressant effects of a opioid without simultaneously ifying the analgesic effects.

The purpose in the present study was to determined whether doxapram is able to reverse the respiratory depressant effects of balanced anesthesia with pethidine-diazepam-nitrous oxide.

Of a total of 30 patients. the control group of 15 patients was given saline lml, and the other 15 patients(doxapram group) were given doxapram hydrochloride 20mg intravenously, and observed blood pressure, heart rate, tidal volume, respiratory rate and arterial blood gas analysis.

In doxapram group(group II). systolic arterial pressure was significantly increased 1minute after administration and heart rate increased 3minute after administration.

Tidal volume significantly increased from 4.8±1.0 to 6.0±l.0ml/kg, but little change in respiratory rate in doxapram group.

PaO₂ significantly decreased in control group(group I) compared to doxapram group 30minute after administration, but not difference in pH, PaCO₂, base excess and oxygen saturation between control and doxapram group.