Barbiturates

(Redirected from Barbituates)

Background

  • Are sedative/hypnotics used mainly for anesthesia and epilepsy
  • Increase the duration of GABA-A channel opening (as opposed to benzodiazepines, which increase frequency of channel opening)

Types

Drug Half-life (h) Duration of Effect (h) Hypnotic Dose (mg) Minimum Toxic level (mg/L)
Ultra–short-acting
Methohexital 3-5 < 0.5 50-120 >5
Thiopental 8-10 < 0.5 50-75 >5
Short-acting
Secobarbital 15-40 >3-4 100-200 >10
Intermediate-acting
Amobarbital 10-40 >4-6 65-200 >10
Butabarbital 35-50 >4-6 100-200 >10
Long-acting
Mephobarbital 10-70 >6-12 50-100 >30
Phenobarbital 80-120 >6-12 100-320 >30

See Also