title: Depressed central respiratory drive causing weaning failure. Its reversal with doxapram.
abstract: A patient failed to wean from mechanical ventilation. Her problem was unique in that she had a depressed central drive to breathe manifested by hypopnea when removed from the ventilator. After excluding the known problems that impair successful weaning, we empirically administered three separate infusions of doxapram, a respiratory stimulant. These infusions produced a dramatic improvement in spontaneous ventilation and led to successful weaning and hospital discharge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, St. Louis Regional Medical Center.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Haake
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Saxon
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bander
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Haake
mesh_terms: D004315:Doxapram / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015300:Ventilator Weaning
chemical_list: D004315:Doxapram