Methods and materials for treating hypocapnia

Abstract

This document provides methods and materials for treating hypocapnia. For example, methods and materials for delivering CO2 to a mammal to treat hypocapnia or compensate for a reduced level of CO2 are provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition for placing within the mouth of a mammal, wherein at least 90 percent of said composition comprises an acid and a carbonate, and wherein said composition releases CO 2  for said mammal to inhale once said composition is placed within the mouth of said mammal. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said mammal is a human. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said acid is ascorbic acid. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said acid is acetic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, citric acid, monosodium citric acid, disodium citric acid, anhydrous citric acid, fumaric acid, or glutaric acid. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said carbonate is sodium bicarbonate. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said carbonate is potassium bicarbonate. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said carbonate is magnesium bicarbonate. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said carbonate is in dry form. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least 95 percent of said composition comprises said acid and said carbonate. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition releases, in a non-exothermic manner, said CO 2  for said mammal to inhale once said composition is placed within the mouth of said mammal. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said acid is ascorbic acid, and wherein said carbonate is sodium bicarbonate. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein said ascorbic acid is in dry form. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein said sodium bicarbonate is in dry form. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is a chewable composition. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a coating. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein said coating comprises shellac and polyvinyl pyrrolidone. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein said coating comprises polyvinyl acetate phthalate. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein said coating comprises cellulose acetate phthalate. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein said coating comprises an acrylate polymer. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a sugar coating. 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is a tablet. 
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 21 , wherein said tablet comprises about 500 mg to about 2000 mg of anhydrous citric acid in solid form and from about 958 mg to about 3,832 mg of sodium bicarbonate in solid form. 
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition releases about 1 percent CO 2  for inhalation at a normal ventilation rate of about 15 breaths per minute, at a depth of about 500 mL per breath, and at about 100% reaction efficiency. 
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises about 100 mg of anhydrous citric acid in solid form and about 191.6 mg of sodium bicarbonate in solid form. 
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition releases about 3 percent CO 2  for inhalation at a normal ventilation rate of about 15 breaths per minute, at a depth of about 500 mL per breath, and at about 100% reaction efficiency. 
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises about 300 mg of anhydrous citric acid in solid form and about 574.8 mg of sodium bicarbonate in solid form. 
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition releases about 5 percent CO 2  for inhalation at a normal ventilation rate of about 15 breaths per minute, at a depth of about 500 mL per breath, and at about 100% reaction efficiency. 
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises about 500 mg of anhydrous citric acid in solid form and about 958 mg of sodium bicarbonate in solid form. 
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein a surface of said composition comprises a printed indication of amount of said CO 2  expected to be released. 
     
     
         30 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         31 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises nut butter to help adhere said composition to the roof of said mouth. 
     
     
         32 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is in the form of a sustained-release formulation, a tablet, a capsule, or a pill. 
     
     
         33 . A method for treating a mammal suffering from hypocapnia, wherein said method comprising administering into the mouth of said mammal, or instructing said mammal to self-administer into the mouth of said mammal, a composition comprising an acid and a carbonate and configured to release CO 2  for said mammal to inhale once said composition is within the mouth of said mammal, thereby providing said mammal with CO 2  and treating said hypocapnia.