BARBITURATE

Barbiturate

Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system depressants, and can therefore produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to total anesthesia. They are also effective as anxiolytics, hypnotics, and anticonvulsants. Barbiturates also have analgesic effects; however, these effects are somewhat weak, preventing barbiturates from being used in surgery in the absence of other analgesics. They have addiction potential, both physical and psychological. Barbiturates have now largely been replaced by benzodiazepines in routine medical practice – for example, in the treatment of anxiety and insomnia – mainly because benzodiazepines are significantly ...

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barbiturate

Noun

  1. Any salt or ester of barbituric acid.
  2. Any of derivatives of barbituric acid that act as depressants of the central nervous system and are used as sedatives or hypnotics.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: barbiturate
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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