A Study of the Biphasic Ventilatory Effects of Propanidid.

The respiratory effects of propanidid (FBA.1420) were observed when used to induce anaesthesia in 100 patients after sedative or atropine premedication. Premedication had no significant relation to the length of hyperpnoea or apnoea. Hyperpnoea itself was associated with apnoea of variable duration but there was a tendency for the duration of apnoea to be shorter the longer the preceding hyperpnoea. The findings suggest that this drug is not only a respiratory stimulant but also a depressant. Induction side effects included hiccough, involuntary movements, and urinary incontinence.