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. 1976 Oct;31(5):548–551. doi: 10.1136/thx.31.5.548

Effect of nitrazepam and flurazepam on the ventilatory response to carbon dioxide.

D M Geddes, M Rudolf, K B Saunders
PMCID: PMC470473  PMID: 11571

Abstract

Ventilatory response to CO2 was measured before and after two different benzodiazepine hypnotics in both chronic bronchitics and patients without chest disease. Flurazepam, but not nitrazepam, produced a significant decrease in CO2 sensitivity, although there was no significant change in FEV1 or mixed venous PCO2. This is the first unequivocal evidence of central depression of respiration by a benzodiazepine and may be the mechanism by which benzodiazepines cause deterioration in patients with respiratory failure.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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