barbiturate (redirected from Sodium amatol)

barbiturate /bar·bi·tur·ate/ (bahr-bich´er-it) any of a class of compounds derived from barbituric acid; used for their hypnotic and sedative effects.

---

bar·bi·tu·rate (bär-bchr-t, --rt, bärb-trt, -t)

n.

1. A salt or ester of barbituric acid.

2. Any of a group of barbituric acid derivatives that act as central nervous system depressants and are used as sedatives or hypnotics.

---

Barbiturate

A drug with hypnotic and sedative effects.

Mentioned in: Anesthesia, General

---

barbiturate

[bärbich′oo͡rāt, -ərit]

Etymology: Saint Barbara, drug discovered on day of the saint, 1864

a derivative of barbituric acid that acts as a sedative or hypnotic. These derivatives act by depressing the respiratory rate, blood pressure, temperature, and central nervous system. They have great addiction potential. Some barbiturates are used in anesthesia and in treatment of seizures.

---

barbiturate [bahr-bich´er-it]

any of a class of sedative-hypnotic agents derived from barbituric acid or thiobarbituric acid and classified into long-, intermediate-, short-, and ultrashort-acting classes. The ultrashort-acting barbiturates, such as thiopental, are used as intravenous anesthetics. The long-acting barbiturate phenobarbital is an important anticonvulsant used in treatment of epilepsy. Barbiturates should not be used as a routine medication for anxiety or insomnia. In addition to numerous side effects, the risk of dependency is great. Barbiturates should be used only by the person for whom they have been prescribed. Abrupt withdrawal is associated with seizure activity.

Barbiturate poisoning was one of the most common methods of suicide in the industrialized world prior to the introduction of benzodiazepines. Barbiturate overdose is often fatal and should be treated with utmost promptness. If it occurs in the home, a poison control center should be contacted, as well as a health care provider and emergency services. The victim should be made to vomit (only if awake) and should be kept warm with breathing facilitated by proper positioning and removal of constricting clothing.

---

barbiturate (bärbich´rāt),

n a derivative of barbituric acid that acts as a sedative or hypnotic. They are controlled substances that have addictive potentials.

---

barbiturate

any of a group of organic compounds derived from barbituric acid. There are a number of barbiturates. They all depress the nervous system and are used to induce apathy and sleep, and in high doses, as anesthetics. They vary in their sedative effects, in the duration of their effectiveness and in their toxicity. Those that are used in veterinary medicine are: (1) pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal); largely superseded, but still sometimes used for intravenous anesthesia in companion animals; (2) thiopental sodium, which has a short period of effectiveness, an advantage in many veterinary situations, e.g. examination of a pharynx; (3) thialbarbital sodium, a medium length compound; (4) thiamylal sodium, a compound with ultrashort action.

---

barbiturate slough

skin slough over a vein where a solution of barbiturate intended for injection into the vein leaks into subcutaneous tissue.

---

barbiturate

Downer Neuropharmacology Any sedative/hypnotic; they are derived from barbituric acid, are divided based on their duration of action into ultrashort, short, intermediate and long-acting–eg phenobarbital; barbiturates are the suicide drug of choice, or anticonvulsant, and among street drugs used as a 'downer'