Toxicity of aerosol propellants in the respiratory and circulatory systems. VIII. Respiration and circulation in primates.

The low-pressure propellants influence predominantly the circulation, whereas the high pressure propellants affect the respiration in anesthetized monkeys. There are four groups according to the level of toxicity: Class 1, low-pressure propellants of high toxicity that cause tachycardia and hypotension; Class 2, low-pressure propellants of intermediate toxicity that influence either circulation or respiration or both; Class 3, high-pressure propellants of intermediate toxicity that cause bronchoconstriction; and Class 4, high-pressure propellants of low toxicity that do not influence respiration or circulation even when inhaled at levels of up to 20 percent concentration.