Details

Doxapram is used for stimulating or improving breathing in patients after surgery or overdose of certain medicines. It is also used to treat chronic lung disease associated with excessive carbon dioxide in the blood. Doxapram is an analeptic. It works by stimulating the breathing centre of the brain by altering the natural chemicals (neurotransmitters) in the brain. Before using doxapram, tell your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding if you are taking any prescription or non-prescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances if you have a history of asthma or irregular heartbeat if you have an overactive thyroid, adrenal gland tumours, high blood pressure, increased spinal fluid pressure, or liver or kidney problems.

Typical Uses

Doxapram is used to stimulate breathing (respiration). This medication can be used to treat breathing problems due to overdose of certain drugs (e.g., narcotic analgesics, barbiturates), lung disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and in the recovery period after anaesthesia.

Side Effects

Some of the common side effects of doxapram include abnormal skin sensations coughing diarrhoea dilation of pupils dizziness fear flushing headache hiccups itching nausea sweating vomiting. Inform your doctor immediately if you have chest pain, rapid/irregular heartbeat, fever, mental/mood changes, increased muscle activity or spasms, seizures, urination problem, trouble breathing (including very rapid or slow breathing).

Drug Interactions

• Doxapram+tramadol- Tramadol may rarely cause seizures, and combining it with other medications that can also cause seizures such as doxapram may increase that risk. The interaction may be more likely if you are elderly, undergoing alcohol or drug withdrawal, have a history of seizures, or have a condition affecting the central nervous system such as a brain tumour or head trauma.

• Doxapram+bupropion- Bupropion may rarely cause seizures, and combining it with other medications that can also cause seizures such as doxapram may increase that risk. The interaction may be more likely if you are elderly, undergoing alcohol or drug withdrawal, have a history of seizures, or have a condition affecting the central nervous system such as a brain tumour or head trauma.

• Doxapram+furazolidone- Using furazolidone together with doxapram is not recommended. Combining these medications can cause dangerously high blood pressure and even death. You may use doxapram only after you have been off furazolidone for at least 14 days.

• Doxapram+metrizamide- Before you undergo any imaging procedure where metrizamide may be injected directly into the spine let your doctor know if you are currently being treated with doxapram. Injection of metrizamide into the spine can sometimes cause seizures, and the risk may be increased if you are also using other medications that can cause seizures such as doxapram.

• Doxapram+linezolid- Using linezolid together with doxapram is not recommended. Combining these medications can cause dangerously high blood pressure and even death. You may use doxapram

Mechanism of action

Doxapram belongs to the class of drugs known as analeptics. It works by stimulating the breathing centre in the brain, thereby increasing the rate of breathing.

Pregnancy Category : B