• Potential to decrease inspiratory muscle performance

– Respiratory depressants (e.g., benzodiazepines, barbiturates, sedatives)

– Nitrous oxide

– Corticosteriods

– Possibly statins

– Possibly LVAD

• Unlikely to effect inspiratory muscle performance

– β-blockers

• Potential to increase inspiratory muscle performance

– ACE inhibitors

– Theophylline

– Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (e.g., CPAP/BiPAP)‡

– Possibly β2-agonists

– Possibly digoxin

^†Measures of inspiratory muscle performance include inspiratory muscle strength, inspiratory muscle endurance or inspiratory duration.

^‡Short-term CPAP/BiPAP administration has the capacity to rest fatigued inspiratory muscles, but prolonged CPAP/BiPAP administration has the potential to atrophy inspiratory muscles.

ACE: Angiotensin-converting enzyme; BiPAP: Bi-level positive airway pressure; CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure; LVAD: Left ventricular assist device.