Barbiturates Research Paper

Prescription Drugs – This list can be quite exhaustive, but mainly contains all the tablets prescribed by the GP with regards to depression, sleeping tablets e.g. Tamazepan, Diazepam, and Valium

These medications have evolved and changed due to availability in the past few years. Cost has also had an impact on what medications are available to a dying patient. A patient self-administers an oral liquid suspension or a powdered mixed with a soft food such as applesauce. The mix of medications include barbiturates, chloral hydrate, and morphine which are compounded into a single dose prescription to facilitate death. Premedication is required prior to taking this final dose. The most common barbiturates are phenobarbital, pentobarbital or secobarbital. Phenobarbital is the longest acting and is typically used for seizures. Pentobarbital and secobarbital are used to sedate prior to surgery and are not as long acting as phenobarbital. Barbiturates effect the central nervous system. They are classified by their how long they take to effect and their duration of action. Barbiturates increase GABA (gaba amino-butyric acid) neurotransmissions in the brain. The increase in GABA causes drowsiness. They are highly addictive, and patients may become tolerant. The addiction is not an issue when a patient has reached this stage and does not need to be a concern. More importantly, if they have used them during the disease process as a sleep aid the patient may have built a tolerance and would require a higher dosage to be effective. Barbiturates do not provide pain relief, to provide pain relief a patient would need to reach a dose high enough to cause a comatose state. Chloral hydrate is a sleep aid or tranquilizer prior to surgery. This medication is quick

Pharmacotherapy i.e. treatment through drugs in this case antidepressants, is one of the many therapies used to treat depression. There are varieties of antidepressants that are used as a treatment of depression, for example tricyclics. The newest and most commonly used antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The Cochrane review (2007) has showed evidence that SSRIs such as fluoxetine compared with a placebo have been effective when treating depression in children and adolescents. Another type of antidepressants that have been used in treatment of depression are tricyclics, unlike SSRIs, a study by Hazell (2004) has shown that they are an ineffective treatment of depression.

It is also used to treat normal sleeping patterns and appetite, and for reducing anxiety. It works by modifying the activity of relevant neurotransmitter pathways.Some of the categories of antidepressants, defined in (Queensland state Government, 2018) are :

Depressants are often prescribed to treat anxiety, panic disorders, and insomnia. Drugs in this category include barbiturates like Nembutal and Seconal as well as benzodiazepines like Ativan, Valium, and Xanax. Sleep medications like Ambien, Lunesta, and Sonata are also in this class of drugs. These drugs are often abused because they have a calming and relaxing effect. However, they can also cause confusion, drowsiness, and memory problems. Like opioids, taking too many depressants can also stop a person’s breathing.

Some of the most common antidepressants include Prozac, Celexa, Zoloft, Paxil, Remeron and Effexor, these come capsules or tablets, studies show that the effects of these drugs can include: Nervousness and anxiety, Insomnia, Irritability, Violent thoughts and actions, Agitation, Hostility, Suicidal thoughts or suicide, Tremors, Irregular heartbeat, Aggression, Confusion and incoherent thoughts, Paranoia, Hallucinations, Psychosis,

“About 150 studies in seventeen countries say that antidepressants have side effects”(cchr International). One of the most used antidepressant would be zoloft or lexapro. Even these two medications have side effects. Before they figured out they had side effects, people believed that they all worked the same. Some of the side effects are heart problems, suicide risks or attempts, causes anxiety, aggression, urges to self harm, and suicidal thoughts. If any of these are happening you can go talk to your doctor or just continue taking them. They have about 26 different types of medication that people can try. By taking antidepressants they will work by balancing chemicals in your brain. They can help with your mood, with sleeping better, and help with concentrating. The antidepressants can help sustain your nerve cells. Also some of the drugs that people take can cause depression. So be careful about what you are taking.

Depression is the lack of the chemical compound C10H12N2O or Serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, made in the brain to help relay messages from one area or the brain to the other. As a result of serotonin being released throughout one's entire body it is believed to influence a majority of the bodies functions. (WEBMD.) Antidepressants alter the level of serotonin in the person's body, however, if one has excessive serotonin the outcomes could result in mania, agitation, and sometimes even death. Those outcomes are the reason that many doctors suggest going to therapy before prescribing an

Like alcohol, barbiturates also bind to the GABA-A receptors to continuously arouse the neurotransmitter GABA. This causes the inhibitory effects of the neurotransmitter to be excessive, which causes the drug to be a depressant. Large amounts of this drug being consumed causes the respiration rate to be reduced. Unfortunately, this can contribute to death because breathing can be stopped completely. The drug is usually consumed to treat anxiety and causes users to become calm and relaxed. There are two types of barbiturates called short-acting and long acting barbiturates. Short-acting barbiturates causes rapid onset and the effects span for about two or three hours. Barbiturates that are considered long-acting will have a slower onset, but

The history of depressants stretches back thousands of years. Alcohol, the prototypical depressant, was consumed by humans as early as 10,000 B.C., as established by the discovery of beer jugs from the late Stone Age. Other natural depressants such as opium also have ancient origins. Historically, barbiturates in particular have been used as "truth serums" because people under the influence of these drugs often speak without thinking

Benzodiazepines are anxiolytic tranquilizers used for medical conditions such as anxiety, alcohol withdrawal, insomnia, and muscle relaxation. Generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD is one of the most common mental illnesses benzodiazepines are responsible for combating. GAD is a disorder in which a person experiences constant, low-level anxiety (Wesely, 2014, p. 244). They act on the central nervous system as they produce sedation and lower anxiety levels (eMedicine Health). As stated by Yakugaku Zasshi in his journal article, “Benzodiazepines (BZs) work by agonising gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor complex and

three groups.Monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) medicines block the monoamine oxidase enzyme (MAO) from destroying monoamine neurotransmitters, which allows them to accumulate, alleviating depression. Serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medications block the serotonin reuptake pump, allowing the serotonin neurotransmitter to remain and accumulate in the receptor for longer. Speaking of serotonin specifically, depression has been related to a deficiency of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) neurotransmitter as evidenced by the concentrations of the

There are three different categories that these pills fall into, stimulant, depressant and opioids. All stimulants work by increasing dopamine levels in the brain—dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, movement, and attention. The therapeutic effect of stimulants is achieved by slow and steady increases of dopamine, which are similar to the way dopamine is naturally produced in the brain. The doses prescribed by physicians start low and increase gradually until a therapeutic effect is reached. Stimulants can increase blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature and decrease sleep and appetite. When they are abused, they can lead to malnutrition and its consequences. Repeated abuse of stimulants can lead to feelings of hostility and paranoia. At high doses, they can lead to serious cardiovascular complications, including stroke. Depressants, sometimes referred to as central nervous system (CNS) depressants or tranquilizers, slow down the normal activity that goes on in the brain and spinal cord. Depressants are normally prescribed to people who are anxious or can’t sleep. Taken as prescribed by a doctor, they can be relatively safe and helpful. However, dependence and addiction are still risks when taking prescription depressants. Most depressants affect the brain by increasing the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical in the brain that sends messages between cells. The increased GABA

The newest medications used to suppress depression are collectively known as selective serotonin inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs work by altering the

They slow the body down. They relax, tranquilize, relieve pain and induce sleep. One may say and do things that they would never do under normal circumstances. When these depressants bare abused they can slow do0wm body functions such as breathing to an extent that a person may pass out or even lapse into a coma.