Nitrous oxide (medication)
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Medical nitrous oxide is delivered via inhalation, and the typical formulation combines it with oxygen at a 50% concentration.[1] Situations where this medication is frequently applied include labor and delivery, injury management, and palliative care at the end of life.[1]
Key facts and history
Its broader acceptance came in 1863 when Gardner Quincy Colton introduced it at Colton Dental Association clinics.[2] The first paper on pre-mixed 50:50 nitrous oxide and oxygen was published in 1961 by Michael Tunstall and others.[3] The earliest apparatus for administering the gas in dental settings were constructed from rubber cloth and took the form of a basic breathing bag.[4] Inhaling the gas in its pure form frequently led to hypoxia, and in some instances, death resulted from asphyxiation.[3]
Peter Baskett, in 1970, identified the value of a pre-mixed nitrous oxide and oxygen combination for ambulance crews to deliver pain relief before reaching a hospital.[5] Patients control the delivery of the gas themselves by using a demand valve, which can be attached to a mouthpiece, a bite block, or a face mask.[6]
What the cited sources add
A WebMD article notes that depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and the second most common psychiatric problem in the U.S., afflicting about 17.6 million people each year at a cost of about $50 billion.[7] The same source states that depressive episodes may disappear spontaneously within six to 12 months, though medication is often needed for full control.[7] Depressed moods can also be a side effect of medication, hormonal changes, or physical illness such as the flu.[7]
References
- Wikipedia, "Nitrous oxide (medication)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "WHO Model Formulary 2008", World Health Organization, 2009, p. 20; "WHO Model Formulary 2008", World Health Organization, 2009, p. 20; "Anaesthesia UK: Entonox", www.frca.co.uk, 26 January 2009 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Nitrous oxide (medication)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Drug Discovery –A History", John Wiley and Sons, 2005, p. 74–87 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Nitrous oxide (medication)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "History of Entonox", BOC Gases (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Nitrous oxide (medication)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Technical Development of Gas Anesthesia", Anesthesiology, 1941, p. 398–409 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Nitrous oxide (medication)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Use of Entonox in the ambulance service", British Medical Journal, April 1970, p. 41–43 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Nitrous oxide (medication)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "UK Ambulance Service Clinical Practice Guidelines", Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee, 2006 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- "'Laughing Gas' May Help Tough-to-Treat Depression", WebMD, 2021-06-10. facts only, no text reused. webmd.com
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Nitrous oxide (medication) (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Nitrous oxide (medication) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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