American Review of Respiratory Disease · 1984 · 17 citations · 0 references
MedicinePharmacologyPharmacodynamicsPulmonary Function TestingRespiratory PharmacotherapyChronic Obstructive Pulmonary DiseaseNaloxone TherapyObstructive Lung DiseaseOpioid PharmacologyRespiratory PathophysiologyChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease PathophysiologyChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease VentilationCompensatory Respiratory ResponsesInspiratory Flow ResistanceMean Airway PressureNaloxone PharmacologyPulmonary Responses To HypoxiaVentilatory Response To Hypoxia
Ventilatory and airway occlusion pressure responses to hypoxia were measured in 7 subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Paired responses were obtained after the administration of saline or naloxone and, on separate days, in 5 of the 7 subjects, after 2 saline injections. Naloxone increased (p less than 0.05) the mean inspiratory flow and the ventilatory and airway occlusion pressure responses to hypoxia when compared with the saline responses. Resting ventilation and tidal volume also increased, but not significantly. Involvement of endogenously generated opioid substances in the control of breathing of patients with COPD is further suggested by this study.