Relation between age and respiratory response to inhaled carbon dioxide in healthy Nigerians

The response of ventilation to hypercapnia was determined in 10 normal young Nigerians, aged 19 to 30 years, and in eight elderly Nigerians, aged 50 to 65 years. The elderly subjects were carefully screened to eliminate the possibility of cardiopulmonary disease. All the subjects had been born in low-altitude areas and had not had prior exposure to hypoxia. The ventilatory response to hypercapnia was found to be significantly decreased in the elderly subjects. It is concluded that the ventilatory response to hypercapnia decreases with age among Nigerians.