A study of the enhanced toxicity of doxapram in rodents treated with narcotic analgesics

It has been shown in both mice and rats that the LD50 value for doxapram is reduced in rodents treated with narcotic analgesics. In both species the site of the toxic interaction appears to be the cardiovascular system. Doxapram alone, in sub-lethal doses, appears to cause conduction defects in the heart and this action of doxapram is increased in rodents treated with morphine. The enhancement of the toxicity of doxapram by morphine appears to involve an action in the central nervous system probably not related to respiratory depression.