Hypoventilation

In medicine, hypoventilation occurs when ventilation is inadequate to perform needed gas exchange. It generally causes an increased concentration of carbon dioxide and respiratory acidosis. It can be caused by medical conditions, by holding one's breath, or by drugs, typically when taken in overdose. Hypoventilation may be dangerous for those with sleep apnea.As a side effect of medicines or recreational drugs, hypoventilation may become potentially life-threatening. Many different CNS depressant drugs such as alcohol, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, GHB and opiates produce respiratory depression when taken in large or excessive doses; however this is most commonly seen as a cause of death with opiates or opioids, particularly when they are combined with sedatives such as alcohol or benzodiazepines. Strong opiates and barbiturates are notorious for producing this effect; in an overdose, an individual may cease breathing entirely which is rapidly fatal without treatment. Respiratory stimulants such as nikethamide were traditionally used to counteract respiratory depression from CNS depressant overdose, but were of only limited effectiveness. A new respiratory stimulant drug BIMU8 is currently being investigated which seems to be significantly more effective and may be useful for counteracting the respiratory depression produced by opiates and similar drugs without offsetting their therapeutic or recreational effects.A disorder referred to as "Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome" or "CCHS" is recognized. This condition may be a significant factor in some cases of sudden infant death syndrome or "cot death".The opposite condition is hyperventilation , resulting in low carbon dioxide levels , rather than hypercapnia. (From the Wikpedia article Hypoventilation.)

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Recent Publications on Hypoventilation:
Hypoventilation during passive leg movement in spinal cord-injured humans. We examined ventilatory response during passive walking-like exercise in...	20th November, 2009	Department of Rehabilitation for Movement Functions, Research Institute of	Clin Auton Res. 2009 Nov 19. DOI Direct Link
[Neonatal Volkmann's syndrome.] BACKGROUND: Acute limb compartment syndrome or Volkmann's ischaemic...	18th November, 2009	Service de dermatologie, hopital Caremeau, CHU de Nimes, place du	Ann Dermatol Venereol. 2009 Nov;136(11):785-9. Epub 2009 May 15. DOI Direct Link
Math1 is essential for the development of hindbrain neurons critical for perinatal breathing. Mice lacking the proneural transcription factor Math1 (Atoh1) lack...	17th November, 2009	Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX	Neuron. 2009 Nov 12;64(3):341-54. DOI Direct Link
Acute severe asthma: new approaches to assessment and treatment. The precise definition of a severe asthmatic exacerbation is an issue that...	17th November, 2009	2nd Pulmonary Department, Attikon University Hospital, Athens Medical	Drugs. 2009;69(17):2363-91. doi: 10.2165/11319930-000000000-00000. DOI Direct Link
Case Report: Respiratory Inductance Plethysmography as a Monitor of Ventilation during Laser Ablation and Balloon Dilatation of Subglottic Tracheal Stenosis. We describe a 61-year-old female who underwent KTP laser ablation and CRE...	13th November, 2009	Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of	ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec. 2009 Nov 7;71(5):289-291. DOI Direct Link
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Hypoventilation Patents:
US Patent No.	Title
7348456	Substituted amides
7414057	Piperazine urea derivatives as melanocortin-4 receptor agonists
7415297	Physiological parameter system
7417152	4-bromo-5-(2-chloro-benzoylamino)-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid amide derivatives and related compounds as bradykinin B.sub.1 receptor antagonists for the treatment of inflammatory diseases
7419990	Piperidine derivatives as melanocortin-4 receptor agonists
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