The effect of ethanol on the ventilatory responses mediated by the peripheral chemoreceptors in man

The ventilatory responses mediated by the central and peripheral chemoreceptors were separately assessed in eight healthy volunteers before and after the oral ingestion of ethanol in a dose of 0.75 ml/kg. No significant depression of the central response was observed, but a significant depression of the peripheral response was observed at 25 and 95 minutes after the consumption of ethanol. The peripheral chemoreceptor stimulus was the simultaneous increase of hypoxia and hypercapnia and this novel method is described.