The invention is directed to a method for alleviating respiratory depression ina subject as a result of disease of pharmacological agents such as opiates, opioidsor barbiturates. The invention also discloses pharmaceutical compositions foruse with the method, the composition containing in combination, an analgesic, anaesthetic,or a sedative and a positive allosteric AMPA receptor modulator in an amount sufficientto reduce or inhibit respiratory depression caused by the analgesic, anaesthetic,or sedative.