Carbon dioxide and anxiety: cardiovascular effects of a single inhalation.
It is argued that inhalations of carbon dioxide oxygen (CO2/O2) mixtures might be useful in the treatment of "fear of fear". Since it has been reported that CO2 produces sensations that are usually associated with anxiety, it might be used as an exposure agent for phobophobics. To find out if, and in what way, CO2 produces anxiety-like reactions, the effects of a single inhalation on the cardiovascular system was studied. It was found that responses are largely sympathomimetic.
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced*; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects
D002245:Carbon Dioxide