FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-63/23

Title and Subtitle: The effects of a tranquilizer on body temperature

Report Date: October 1963

Authors: Hoggins EA, Iampietro PF, Adams T, Holmes DD

Abstract: Four young adult mongrel dogs were exposed twice untranquilized to each of three environmental temperatures: 4.4°C, 23.9°C, and 37.8°C and exposed twice tranquilized with 2.2 mg/Kg propiopromazine hydrochloride. Rectal temperatures were monitored and recorded continuously during two hour exposures. Little difference was noted in rectal temperature response for tranquilized and untranquilized animals at the 23.9°C exposure.

Tranquilized animals showed a greater decline in internal temperature at and environmental temperature of 4.4°C than control and when tranquilized showed a rise in rectal temperature during heat exposure (37.8°C) while control animals showed a decline. These results indicate an impairment in both heat loss and heat conservation mechanisms in the tranquilized animals during thermal stress but little, if any alteration of temperature control at non-stressful ambient temperature.

Key Words: drugs, temperature regulation, body temperatures.

No. of Pages: 9