| name: | Barbiturates |
| also known as: | Phenobarbital (Luminal); Pentobarbital (Nembutal, Yellow Jackets); Amobarbital (Amytal, Blues); Thiopental (Pentothal); Butabarbital (Butisol); Methohexital (Brevital); Sedative; Tranquilizer; Sedation; Truth Serum; Anti-anxiety Drugs; Anti Anxiety Drugs; Anxiolytics |
| also see: | Benzodiazepines; BuSpar; Ambien; Chloral Hydrate |
| description: | Like the benzodiazepines, the barbiturates work to potentiate the action of the neurotransmitter GABA within the brain. However, the barbiturates do not bind to the benzodiazepine receptor site. Clinical applications of the barbiturates includes thiopental or pentothal for the induction of general anesthesia, as well as phenobarbital in the treatment of active seizure and the prevention of recurrent seizure. Barbiturates can also be used to treat anxiety (rarely used today) and in order to induce hypnosis. It is this latter use, as a hypnotic, where barbiturates such as pentothal go their nickname "truth serum." Today, the benzodiazepines are more widely used for the treatment of anxiety. The barbiturates can be divided into: very short acting: pentothal, short acting: amytal and nembutal long acting: phenobarbital. |
| signs & symptoms: | Side effects can include drowsiness, decrease muscular activity, drug addiction, allergic reaction potentiated especially in asthma, respiratory failure, and coma. Additionally, barbiturates should not be used in people who have porphyria since barbiturates increase the synthesis of hemoglobin (also called the P-450 system). |
| treatment: | Can be given orally, intravenously or intramuscularly. Also see Rx pentobarbital (nembutal) Also see Rx butabarbital (butisol) Also see Rx thiopental (pentothal) Also see Rx methohexital (brevital) |
skynetMD suggests the following:
| if: | If you have questions, problems, or concerns regarding any medication |
| go to: | Go to the phone and ask your pharmacist or your doctor, or go to the doctor. |
Last updated 7/11/2002