Increased ventilatory response to acute hypoxia with high Hb-O2 affinity induced by Na-cyanate treatment in the rat.

The effects on the ventilatory response to acute hypoxia of increasing the Hb-O2 affinity by NaOCN administration were studied in the halothane anesthetized spontaneously breathing rat. Increases in ventilation during the progressive hypoxia test were significantly augmented, and ventilatory depression occurring in severe hypoxia was clearly inhibited in the NaOCN-treated rat. Beneficial effects of NaOCN treatment probably result from the protection of respiratory regulating mechanism from functional deterioration in severe hypoxia.