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Effects of alcohol on respiratory variables in normal humans
Author(s) -
WOLFF C. B.,
PETERS T. J.,
KEATING J.,
GARDNER W. N.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
addiction biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.445
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1369-1600
pISSN - 1355-6215
DOI - 10.1080/13556219971740
Subject(s) - alcohol , anesthesia , ventilation (architecture) , blood alcohol , medicine , respiratory system , mean value , respiratory minute volume , zoology , chemistry , mathematics , poison control , biochemistry , biology , mechanical engineering , statistics , environmental health , injury prevention , engineering
The study is designed to clarify the effect of low doses of alcohol on respiratory variables in air breathing normal subjects. Each subject was given an initial loading dose of alcohol (0.270 g/kg) followed, half an hour later, by a second dose (0.135 g/kg). Blood alcohol increased to a mean value of 52.0 ± 3.0 (SEM) mg/100 ml at 1 hour. Resting ventilation increased significantly from a mean value of 6.25 ± 0.41 litres min −1 to 7.20 ± 0.31 litres min −1 1 hour after alcohol ( p = 0.025). Mean inspiratory flow was also increased ( p = 0.045). Endtidal PCO 2 (PET CO 2 ) showed a highly significant fall (1.87 ± 0.35 mm Hg; p < 0.001) without a significant change in CO2 production rate ( p > 0.05). PET CO 2 variability (100 × SD/mean) was low (mean 2.4%) and unaffected by alcohol. The longest end‐expiratory pauses (apnoeas) observed for each subject were shortened significantly by alcohol (1.030 ± 0.194 s and 0.690 ± 0.138 s; p = 0.01). Moderate doses of alcohol in normal subjects, therefore lower PET CO2 and shorten end‐expiratory pauses (apnoeic periods) but do not affect PET CO2 variability.