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Barbiturates

What are barbiturates?
How are they taken?
What are the effects?
What are the dangers?
Are they addictive?

What are barbiturates?

Barbiturates were introduced in the early 1900s (for medical use) as sedatives, hypnotics, anesthetics and anticonvulsants.
These drugs cause depression (or slowing down) of the central nervous system (your brain and spinal cord).
There are four kinds of barbiturates:
- "Ultra short-acting" barbiturates: Methohexital (Brevital), Thiamylal (Surital) and Thiopental (Pentothal).
- "Short-acting" and "intermediate-acting" barbiturates: Pentobarbital (Nembutal) and Secobarbital (Amytal)
- "Long-acting" barbiturates: Phenobarbital (Luminal) and Mephobarbital (Mebaral).

How are they taken?

By needle (intravenously): "Ultra short-acting" barbiturates.
By mouth: "Short-acting," "intermediate-acting" and "long-acting" barbiturates.

What are the effects?

"Ultra short-acting" barbiturates produce anesthesia within one minute after intravenous use.
"Short-acting" and "intermediate-acting" barbiturates take effect within 15 to 40 minutes and last up to six hours. Used for sedation or to induce sleep.
"Long-acting" barbiturates take effect in an hour and last up to 12 hours. Used primarily for daytime sedation and the treatment of seizure disorders or mild anxiety.
The effects of all barbiturates resemble those of alcohol intoxication including:
- Slurred speech.
- Loss of motor coordination.
- Impaired judgment.

What are the dangers?

Physical dependence (aka: addiction).
Tolerance, which results in the need to take higher doses to get the same effect. These higher doses could be deadly and lead to an overdose.
Withdrawal from the use of depressants can lead to seizures, delirium and death.

Are they addictive?

Addiction rarely occurs among people who use a pain reliever, CNS depressant, or stimulant as prescribed; however, inappropriate use of prescription drugs can lead to addiction in some cases.
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