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Sedatives |
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A sedative is a drug that depresses the
central nervous system (CNS), which causes calmness, relaxation,
reduction of anxiety, sleepiness, slowed breathing, slurred
speech, staggering gait, poor judgment, and slow, uncertain
reflexes. Sedatives may be referred to as tranquilizers,
depressants, anxiolytics, soporifics, sleeping pills, downers,
or sedative-hypnotics. At high doses or when they are abused,
many of these drugs can cause unconsciousness and death.
Types of sedative
* Barbiturates
o secobarbital (Seconal)
o pentobarbital (Nembutal)
o amobarbital (Amytal)
* Benzodiazepines
o diazepam (Valium)
o chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
o lorazepam (Ativan)
o chlorazepate (Tranxene)
* Imidazopyridines
o zolpidem (Ambien)
o alpidem
* Antihistamines
o diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
o dimenhydrinate (Dramamine)
* Herbal sedatives
o valerian plant
o Mandrake
o kava
* Uncategorized sedatives
o methaqualone (Sopor, Quaalude)
o ethchlorvynol (Placidyl)
o chloral hydrate (Noctec)
o meprobamate (Miltown)
o glutethimide (Doriden)
o methyprylon (Noludar)
o gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB)
o gamma-butyrolactone (GBL)
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Therapeutic use
Sedation is widely used by doctors and nurses to dull the
anxiety related to painful or anxiety-provoking procedures.
Athough sedatives do not relieve pain in themselves, they can be
a useful adjunct to analgesics in preparing patients for
surgery, and are commonly given to patients before they are
anaesthetized, or before other highly uncomfortable and invasive
procedures like cardiac catheterization or MRI. They increase
tractability and compliance of children or troublesome or
demanding patients.
Patients in intensive care units are almost always sedated
(unless they are unconscious from their condition anyway).
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Sedative dependence
All sedatives can cause physical and psychological dependence
when taken regularly over a period of time, even at therapeutic
doses. When dependent users decrease or end use suddenly, they
will exhibit withdrawal symptoms ranging from restlessness,
insomnia and anxiety to convulsions and death. When users become
psychologically dependent, they feel as if they need the drug to
function although there is no biological dependence. In both
types of dependence, finding and using the drug becomes the
focus in life. Both physical and psychological dependence can be
treated (see Sedative Dependence (http://www.mentalhealth.com/rx/p23-sb10.html)).
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Abuse and overdoses
All sedatives can be abused, but barbiturates are responsible
for most of the problems with sedative abuse due to their
widespread "recreational" or non-medical use, as well as
over-prescribing by medical doctors. People who have difficulty
dealing with stress, anxiety or sleeplessness may overuse or
become dependent on sedatives. Heroin users take them either to
supplement their drug or to substitute for it. Stimulant users
frequently take sedatives to calm excessive jitteriness. Others
take sedatives recreationally to relax and forget their worries.
Barbiturate overdose is a factor in nearly one-third of all
reported drug-related deaths. These include suicides and
accidental drug poisonings. Accidental deaths sometimes occur
when a drowsy, confused user repeats doses. In the US, in 1998,
a total of 70,982 sedative exposures were reported to US poison
control centers, of which 2310 (3.2%) resulted in major toxicity
and 89 (0.1%) resulted in death. About half of all the people
admitted to emergency rooms in the US as a result of nonmedical
use of sedatives have a legitimate prescription for the drug,
but have taken an excessive dose or combined it with alcohol or
other drugs. Others get sedatives from friends who have bona
fide prescriptions or by using faked prescriptions.
See also Barbiturate#Other_non-therapeutical_use.
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Sedatives and alcohol
Sedatives and alcohol are sometimes combined recreationally or
carelessly. Since alcohol also is a strong CNS depressant that
slows brain function and depresses respiration, the two
substances reinforce each other and this combination can prove
fatal. Karen Anne Quinlan collapsed into a coma after swallowing
alcohol and tranquilizers at a party in 1975. Her case spurred
worldwide discussion of the ethics surrounding termination of
life-sustaining treatment.
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Lookalikes
Lookalikes, or pills made to mimic the appearance and the
effects of authentic sedatives, are sold on the street.
Lookalikes may contain over-the-counter drugs, such as
antihistamines, that cause drowsiness. Like any other drug that
is illicitly manufactured and sold, their composition and
effects cannot be predicted.
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Sedative drugs and crime
Some rapists administer sedative drugs, particularly GHB or GBL,
to unsuspecting patrons in bars or guests at parties to reduce
the intended victims' defenses. To protect yourself against
being sedated against your will, see Sedative Drugs and Violence |
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