Effects of acute and chronic systemic methamphetamine on respiratory cardiovascular and metabolic function and cardiorespiratory reflexes

摘要

Key points class="unordered" style="list-style-type:disc" id="tjp6975-list-0001">Methamphetamine (METH) abuse is escalating worldwide, with the most common cause of death resulting from cardiovascular failure and hyperthermia; however, the underlying physiological mechanisms are poorly understood.Systemic administration of METH in anaesthetised rats reduced the effectiveness of some protective cardiorespiratory reflexes, increased central respiratory activity independently of metabolic function, and increased heart rate, metabolism and respiration in a pattern indicating that non‐shivering thermogenesis contributes to the well‐described hyperthermia.In animals that showed METH‐induced behavioural sensitisation following chronic METH treatment, no changes were evident in baseline cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic measures and the METH‐evoked effects in these parameters were similar to those seen in saline‐treated or drug naïve animals.Physiological effects evoked by METH were retained but were neither facilitated nor depressed following chronic treatment with METH.These data highlight and identify potential mechanisms for targeted intervention in patients vulnerable to METH overdose.