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Mechanical properties of the respiratory system and mouth-occlusion pressure in patients acutely intoxicated with hypnotics

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Abstract

Dynamic lung compliance, pulmonary resistance, and functional residual capacity (FRC), as well as ventilatory and mouth-occlusion pressure response to hypercapnia, were studied in nine patients during intoxication with various hypnotics ingested in suicidal attempts and after recovery. Dynamic lung compliance and FRC were reduced in all subjects, and pulmonary resistance was increased in eight of nine subjects during intoxication. Although the mouth-occlusion pressure response to increasing CO2 stimuli was decreased in six and increased in three patients during intoxication, ventilatory response to increasing CO2 was diminished in all subjects. For a given mouth-occlusion pressure, the resulting ventilation was less for all subjects during intoxication, indicating that the mechanical properties of the respiratory system were impaired. The data suggest that not only changes in central drive but also substantial changes in the mechanical properties of the respiratory apparatus are responsible for the depression of ventilation during intoxication with hypnotics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Innere Medizin, Abteilung Pulmonologie, Hannover, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Karl-Wiechert-Allee 9, D-3000, Hannover, Federal Republic of Germany

    G. W. Sybrecht, Ellen M. Taubner, M. M. Böhm & H. Fabel

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  1. G. W. Sybrecht
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  2. Ellen M. Taubner
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  3. M. M. Böhm
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  4. H. Fabel
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Sybrecht, G.W., Taubner, E.M., Böhm, M.M. et al. Mechanical properties of the respiratory system and mouth-occlusion pressure in patients acutely intoxicated with hypnotics. Lung 156, 49–61 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02713991

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