Prediction of Antichollintergic Drug Response Using a Thermoregulatory Exchange Index
Abstract
Among the drugs used for treatment of psychoses are those compounds which have a degree of anticholinergic action directly on eccrine sweat glands which disrupts thermoregulation. Atropine (a potent nerve agent antidote) reduces thermoregulatory sweating causing intense heat storage often leading to hyperpyrexia. A heat exchange analysis was carried out using a database of previous studies in our Institute in which saline and atropine (2 mg im) were injected in 14 healthy male subjects before and after heat acclimation. Subjects walked on a treadmill in hot-dry and hot-wet environments. A new effective temperature (ET*) was generated that can be implemented in any heat exchange evaluation utilizing biophysical and physiological data including mean skin temperature, rectal temperature, heart rate, metabolic activity, and skin evaporative heat loss. Heat acclimation reduced ET* by some 2.5 degrees C when compared with the unacclimated state after atropine injection. Heat acclimation thereby potentially lessens the hazards of heatstroke caused by exercise in the heat with atropine injection. Such a heat exchange model can be used to predict responses to other anticholinergic agents and has potential relevance applied in understanding psychotropic drug-related hyperthermia.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA376680
Entities
People
- Margaret A. Kolka
- Richard R. Gonzalez
Organizations
- United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine