Depressant effect of ammonia on the ventilatory response to hypoxia and hypercapnia.

Abstract

Neurological aberrations occurring in patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and in patients with hepatic encephalopathy have many similarities. These similarities include changes in the level of consciousness varying from restlessness to coma1, 2 and alterations in neuromuscular tone, including dyskinetic movements3, 4. There may be a common biochemical derangement in these diseases, for Valero et al.5 have demonstrated that elevations of both cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and arterial blood ammonia levels to concentrations equivalent to those seen in hepatic insufficiency can occur in COPD.KeywordsChronic Obstructive Pulmonary DiseaseHepatic EncephalopathyCarotid BodyDepressant EffectVentilatory ResponseThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.