Barbiturates:
• CNS depressants sedation, reduction of anxiety
• Rapid acting induction of anaesthesia (eg thiopental)
• Short acting treat insomnia, adjunct to anaesthesia, sedative and hypnotic (eg pentobarbital, secobarbital)
• Long acting treat insomnia and seizures (eg phenobarbital)
• suppress respiration by inhibiting the hypoxic and CO2 response of the chemoreceptors
• bind to GABA receptor-chloride channel complex and both enhance the inhibitory effect of GABA and directly mimic actions of GABA. As they mimic effects of GABA no limit to amount of CNS depression due to exogenous administration (compared to benzodiazepines which only enhance endogenous GABA limit to amount of CNS depression)
• metabolised in the liver and induce the cytochrome P-450 enzymes large number of drug interactions
• have low therapeutic index risk for overdose
• adverse effects – respiratory depression, suicide (from overdose), dependence/abuse
Barbiturates
Wikis > Pharmacology > Drugs for sleep and anxiety (hypnotics, sedatives & anxiolytics) > Barbiturates
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