Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2026
11:47
Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) for Research; Obtaining Adequate Sample Yield
Published on: March 24, 2014
Does oral alprazolam affect ventilation? A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
G E Carraro1, E W Russi, S Buechi
1Psychiatry Division, University Hospital Zürich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Journal of Psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
|June 20, 2008
Summary
Oral alprazolam (a benzodiazepine) did not significantly alter ventilation in healthy men. However, it increased breathing variability, likely due to vigilance changes, not direct respiratory effects.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Respiratory Physiology
Background:
- Benzodiazepines' respiratory effects remain debated.
- Understanding alprazolam's impact on ventilation is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of oral alprazolam on ventilation in healthy individuals.
- To assess changes in minute ventilation, end-tidal PCO(2), and oxygen saturation.
Main Methods:
- Randomized, double-blind, cross-over study with 20 healthy men.
- Administration of 1 mg alprazolam or placebo, with a 1-week interval.
- Unobtrusive monitoring of ventilation using inductance plethysmography, end-tidal PCO(2), and pulse oximetry.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in mean minute ventilation between alprazolam and placebo groups.
- Increased variability (coefficient of variation) of minute ventilation observed after alprazolam intake.
- Greater need for encouragement to maintain vigilance (keep eyes open) after alprazolam.
Conclusions:
- Mildly sedative doses of oral alprazolam do not clinically impair ventilation in healthy, awake individuals.
- Increased ventilation variability is linked to vigilance fluctuations, not direct respiratory depression.
- Further research may explore benzodiazepine effects on respiratory control under different conditions.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Anxiolytic Drugs: Benzodiazepines and Buspirone
Benzodiazepines are a class of anxiolytic drugs known for their rapid efficacy and high therapeutic-to-lethal dose ratio, but with a potential risk of drug dependence. These drugs are lipophilic, allowing for rapid absorption after oral administration, eventually reaching the central nervous system (CNS). Once in the CNS, benzodiazepines bind to the allosteric site of the GABAA receptor. This binding enhances the inhibitory effects of the neurotransmitter GABA. By doing so, they prevent...
02:07Blind Procedures
Ideally, the people who observe and record the children’s behavior are unaware of who was assigned to the experimental or control group, in order to control for experimenter bias. Experimenter bias refers to the possibility that a researcher’s expectations might skew the results of the study. Remember, conducting an experiment requires a lot of planning, and the people involved in the research project have a vested interest in supporting their hypotheses. If the observers knew which child was...
01:19Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines have both sedative and hypnotic properties. They include compounds such as diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax). Structurally, their cores are similar, consisting of the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring, but they share a common mechanism of action in the central nervous system (CNS).
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. They bind to the GABAA receptor, increasing its affinity for GABA, which opens chloride...
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. They bind to the GABAA receptor, increasing its affinity for GABA, which opens chloride...
01:11Blinding
Blinding is a commonly used method of not telling participants which treatment a subject is receiving. Blinding is a critical part of a randomized control trial or RCT. It reduces the bias that affects the results. In an RCT, blinding is used in the form of a placebo. A placebo effect occurs when untreated subjects falsely believe they have received the treatment and report improved symptoms. A placebo or a dummy treatment is administered to subjects to negate the bias caused by such an effect.
01:23Physiological Control of Respiration
Introduction
Breathing, a seemingly passive process, is regulated by the respiratory center in the brainstem. This center coordinates the involuntary control of respirations, which means it occurs without conscious effort, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted pattern.
Regulation of Ventilation
The body maintains ventilation by monitoring levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), oxygen (O2), and hydrogen ion concentration (pH) in the arterial blood. Among these factors, the level of CO2 plays a crucial...
Breathing, a seemingly passive process, is regulated by the respiratory center in the brainstem. This center coordinates the involuntary control of respirations, which means it occurs without conscious effort, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted pattern.
Regulation of Ventilation
The body maintains ventilation by monitoring levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), oxygen (O2), and hydrogen ion concentration (pH) in the arterial blood. Among these factors, the level of CO2 plays a crucial...
01:54The Placebo Effect
The placebo effect occurs when people's expectations or beliefs influence or determine their experience in a given situation. In other words, simply expecting something to happen can actually make it happen.