Effect of Alcohol on Respiration Before and After Treatment with Disulfiram

Abstract

Ingestion of alcohol in human subjects during rest may either increase or reduce ventilation. Quite a considerable concn. of acetaldehyde was obtained in the blood, but no relation between changes in ventilation and formation of acetaldehyde could be found. Alcohol intake after premedication with Disulfiram (tetraethylthiuram disulfide) caused in all expts. an increased ventilation with reduced CO2 content in the expired air. During the Disulfiram-alcohol reaction there was a rising ventilation with increasing acetaldehyde concn. in the blood, but there seemed to be a max. at 1.7 mg./lOO ml. of acetaldehyde. Inhalation of O2 brought about a reduction of ventilation but produced no subjective improvement,, and the ecg. changes remained uninfluenced.