Balster R L, Gallimore G, Ellinwood E H
Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol. 1975 Jul;11(3):507-10.
Mice were used to obtain LD50's for methamphetamine and pentobarbital at 282, 380, 760, 1520, 3040, 3800 and 4560 mm Hg of room air. The animals were allowed to stabilize at the test pressure 15 min. prior to drug injections. The lethality of both methamphetamine and pentobarbital was significantly increased over sea level determinations only at 282 mm Hg. Most previous research in this area has utilized drug injections given prior to ascent or descent. The relative lack of increased toxicity under conditions of altered atmospheric pressure observed in this study compared to previous research suggests that the temporal relationship between drug administration and pressure changes is important.
