Morphine has latent deleterious effects on the ventilatory responses to a hypoxic challenge

The aim of this study was to determine whether morphine depresses the ventilatory responses elicited by a hypoxic challenge (10% O , 90% N ) in conscious rats at a time when the effects of morphine on arterial blood gas (ABG) chemistry, Alveolar-arterial (A-a) gradient and minute ventilation (V ) ha...

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Published in:Open journal of molecular and integrative physiology 2013-11, Vol.3 (4), p.166-180
Main Authors: May, Walter J, Gruber, Ryan B, Discala, Joseph F, Puskovic, Veljko, Henderson, Fraser, Palmer, Lisa A, Lewis, Stephen J
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:The aim of this study was to determine whether morphine depresses the ventilatory responses elicited by a hypoxic challenge (10% O , 90% N ) in conscious rats at a time when the effects of morphine on arterial blood gas (ABG) chemistry, Alveolar-arterial (A-a) gradient and minute ventilation (V ) had completely subsided. In vehicle-treated rats, each episode of hypoxia stimulated ventilatory function and the responses generally subsided during each normoxic period. Morphine (5 mg/kg, i.v.) induced an array of depressant effects on ABG chemistry, A-a gradient and V (via decreases in tidal volume). Despite resolution of these morphine-induced effects, the first episode of hypoxia elicited substantially smaller increases in V than in vehicle-treated rats, due mainly to smaller increases in frequency of breathing. The pattern of ventilatory responses during subsequent episodes of hypoxia and normoxia changed substantially in morphine-treated rats. It is evident that morphine has latent deleterious effects on ventilatory responses elicited by hypoxic challenge.
ISSN:2162-2159
2162-2167
DOI:10.4236/ojmip.2013.34022