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Published on: October 16, 2013
Acute tolerance to nitrous oxide in humans.
Douglas S Ramsay1, Arthur C Brown, Stephen C Woods
1Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA School of Dentistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA The Oregon Health Sciences University School of Dentistry, Portland, OR 97201 USA.
Nitrous oxide effectively raises pain and detection thresholds in dental patients initially. However, its analgesic effect is inconsistent, with some patients developing acute tolerance during prolonged use.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Pharmacology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Nitrous oxide is commonly used for analgesia in dental procedures.
- The duration of its analgesic efficacy is not fully understood.
- Acute tolerance may limit its effectiveness during extended use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if nitrous oxide analgesia remains constant during dental procedures.
- To determine if acute tolerance affects nitrous oxide's efficacy over time.
Main Methods:
- Electrical stimulation of a maxillary incisor to assess pain and detection thresholds.
- Subjects received either a placebo or nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture for 46 minutes.
- Thresholds were measured during baseline and gas exposure phases.
Main Results:
- Nitrous oxide significantly increased detection and pain thresholds within 2-8 minutes.
- Placebo administration showed minimal changes in sensory thresholds.
- Individual responses varied, with some subjects showing consistent analgesia and others developing acute tolerance.
Conclusions:
- Nitrous oxide provides initial analgesia but its effect is not uniformly maintained.
- Acute tolerance to nitrous oxide can develop during continuous administration in some individuals.
- Further research is needed to understand and manage tolerance to nitrous oxide in clinical settings.
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