Respiratory depression

From Drug Rehab Wiki

Respiratory depression means unusually slow or shallow breathing, which can result too much carbon dioxide and not enough oxygen in the blood. The condition can be life-threatening.

You can bring about respiratory depression by simply holding your breath, but the most common cause is a drug overdose.

Alcohol, barbiturates, opiates, GHB, and sedatives, especially when used in combinations or large amounts, can result in respiratory depression. Usually, the person's heartbeat and blood pressure will also slow down to dangerous levels. If he or she is taken for emergency medical treatment, physicians will probably administer respiratory stimulants, such as nikethamide or BIMU8, to speed up the rate of breathing. If the person stops breathing or does not improve, or if he has certain symptoms such as lethargy and confusion, he will usually have to enter a hospital's intensive care unit.

Some people suffer from chronic respiratory depression, usually those who have chest wall deformities, neuromuscular disorders, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Some very obese people can suffer from slow breathing and even stop breathing when they are asleep, resulting in death.

Another word for respiratory depression is hypoventilation. Too slow breathing is called bradyapnea, and too shallow breathing is hypopnea, and both can cause respiratory depression.