What is Barbiturate Poisoning?

Answer 1

Barbiturates are a type of CNS depressant drug that cause relaxation and sleepiness.

A barbituate overdose occurs when someone accidentally or intentionally takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medication. At increasingly higher doses, sedetion is followed by increasing levels of anesthesia and eventually death

Symptoms

Symptoms of barbiturate intoxication and overdose include:

• Altered level of consciousness
• Difficulty in thinking
• Drowsiness or coma
• Faulty judgment
• Incoordination
• Shallow breathing
• Slowness of speech
• Sluggishness
• Slurred speech
• Staggering

Excessive and long-term use of barbiturates, such as phenobarbital, may produce the following chronic symptoms:

• Changes in alertness
• Decreased functioning
• Irritability
• Memory loss
• TreatmentMost overdoses of this type of medication involve a mixtures of drugs, usually alcohol and barbiturates, or barbiturates and opiates (heroin or Oxycontin).

  Some users use a combination of all four drugs. Those who take such combinations tend to be:

  • A new user who does not know that such combinations can lead to coma or death
  • Experienced users who intentionally use them to become consciousness.

  The second group is among the most difficult to treat.

  The patient may receive a medicine called naloxone (Narcan) , if an opiate was part of the mix. This medicine will often rapidly restore consciousness and breathing.

  There is no direct antidote for this type of overdose. Breathing support, such as a breathing machine, may be needed until all the drug is removed from the body.