Use of Doxapram Hydrochloride Injection as an Alternative to Intubation to Treat Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients With Hypercapnia

We report three cases in which doxapram hydrochloride injection was used as an additional method of treating and stabilizing patients with chronic hypercapnia and hypoxia. Patients with such impaired respiratory drives would otherwise require intubation for medical management. In the appropriate setting, the use of doxapram hydrochloride injection has the potential to decrease morbidity and cost and shorten hospitalization as compared with intubation. This treatment also may be a viable option to treat patients for whom intubation is not an option. [Hirshberg AJ, Dupper RL: Use of doxapram hydrochloride injection as an alternative to intubation to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with hypercapnia. Ann Emerg Med October 1994;24:701-703.]