[Nitrous oxide analgesia in myocardial infarction (author's transl)]

Inhalation of the equimolecular mixture N2O - O2 rapidly achieves good analgesia in cases of coronary occlusion. This mixture was used with 51 patients (37 to 85 years old) with beneficial results on pain in 4 cases out of 5. This effect can be improved by giving a small amount of pethidine with the inhalation. In this way the respiratory depression of the full dose of narcotic analgesics is avoided. In halation of the mixture does not produce undesirable cardio-circulatory or respiratory changes. The oxygen content of the mixture increases patients' PaO2 without the risk of hyperoxia.