For over a hundred years, medicines such as barbiturates have been known in medicine. The list of drugs containing these substances has been greatly reduced recently, because it turned out that they can cause severe dependence and severe side effects. But, despite this, still such drugs are used in medicine, however, they cannot be found in free sale. This is explained by the fact that in the middle of the 20th century there were a lot of deaths due to poisoning with barbiturates. Therefore, those to whom the doctor prescribes these drugs for treatment need to know what side effects they can cause. In addition, there are modern, more effective and safer drugs.
What are barbiturates
These medicines appeared at the very beginning of the 20th century. The German scientist Bayer discovered a special substance - barbituric acid. Already in 1903, the first Barbital drug, more commonly known as Veronal, was launched.
By the middle of the century, more than two thousand drugs were known, which were called "barbiturates." Their use in medicine was wide: from simple insomnia to anesthesia. Many have taken these medications for stress, sleep disturbances, or just to calm down. Some became addicted to barbiturates, which often ended in death. Therefore, in the 70s, these drugs disappeared from free sale. And now only in rare cases some barbiturates are used.
List of drugs
Now hardly more than a dozen such drugs remain in use. There are several groups of barbiturates. They were divided by duration of action. The following barbiturates can be distinguished:
- long-acting: Barbital, Phenobarbital (better known as Luminal), Sodium Barbiturate, Butisol and others;
- medium duration: Cyclobarbital, Barbamil, Alurat, Butabarbital, Talbutal and others;
- with a short (up to 6 hours) action: "Hexobarbital", "Pentotal", "Tiamilal", "Brevital" and other drugs. They are usually used as an intravenous injection, as they begin to act within a few minutes after administration.
What effect do barbiturates have
Barbituric acid began to be used in medicine, as it turned out that it affects the central nervous system of a person: it blocks contacts between nerve cells. Therefore, all these drugs have a strong sedative, anticonvulsant, slight analgesic and hypnotic effect. If you take barbiturates before anesthesia, they will enhance its effect.
Now they are equated with drugs, as the use of not only depresses the nervous system, but also is highly addictive. The effect of barbiturates can be compared with alcohol. They cause the same state of euphoria and agitation, often aggression, then a heavy, heavy sleep, after which a person feels depressed and wants to take the drug again. People who use barbiturate drugs report feeling relaxed and calm, increased self-confidence and sociability. It is because of these effects that many become addicted to drugs. You can find out by analysis: barbiturates in the urine are detected. The reasons for this are that barbituric acid is excreted mainly through the kidneys.
How are barbiturates used?
It has long been proven that these drugs cause severe drug dependence, often ending in death. But in some cases, only barbiturates can help the patient. The list of drugs currently used in medicine has been greatly reduced, but they can also be purchased only by prescription.
They are appointed only in extreme cases:
- with severe stress;
- serious nervous disorders;
- with convulsions and convulsions;
- to prepare the patient for anesthesia during operations;
- in case of insomnia, when other means do not help.
Barbiturates are mainly used for epilepsy. But some elderly single people also use them to calm down. In medical institutions, barbiturates are used in the form of intravenous or intramuscular injections, and tablets, capsules or suppositories may be prescribed for outpatient treatment. Some drugs are part of other drugs. For example, phenobarbital is the basis of Corvalol. A strong sleeping pill "Penobarbital" is used to execute the death penalty or euthanasia in veterinary medicine.
Which side effects
Now mainly in medical institutions use barbiturates. The list of drugs approved for use is known only to specialists. After all, it is very easy to poison with such drugs or get addicted to them. If a person often uses barbiturates, this can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- drowsiness, confusion, frequent hallucinations;
- imbalance and uncontrolled movements;
- slurred speech, stuttering;
- decrease in immunity;
- rash and purulent skin diseases;
- metabolic disorders and slowing down the action of the gastrointestinal system;
- depression, distraction, but sometimes aggressiveness;
- retardation of consciousness and impaired concentration of attention.
Barbiturate addiction
People who often use such drugs to calm or fight insomnia sometimes do not suspect the danger they pose. Indeed, now barbiturates are equated with drugs along with opium. Dependence is manifested in the need to constantly drink drugs, increasing their dose.
It develops after three months of regular admission. Dependence leads to irritability, distraction, and a decrease in concentration of attention and memory. Various neurological disorders can be observed:
slurred speech, trembling limbs, cramps. After a heavy sleep caused by barbiturates, a person feels completely broken. He has low blood pressure, he experiences severe headache and nausea, in order to get rid of it, he takes a new dose of the drug. So he becomes addicted.
Why do people take these drugs?
From the very beginning, barbiturates have become very popular. The list of drugs by the middle of the 20th century grew to two and a half thousand names. They were accepted by those who needed to calm down and give up problems, who experienced constant stress and problems falling asleep. After it turned out that the effect of barbiturates was similar to drugs, their use was greatly reduced. But now, many are dependent on them. It is believed that these are most often people who hate themselves, who have lost interest in life and the need for communication. And, despite the fact that barbiturates cause oblivion, heavy sleep and lack of thoughts, they remain popular. Often, it is because of this that people tend to take such drugs. And besides, under their action, a person ceases to feel pain, experience emotions and relaxes.
Barbiturate poisoning
The danger of using these drugs is that an overdose of the drug can quickly occur. This leads to the fact that a person falls asleep and may not wake up, as breathing gradually slows down and death occurs. If the barbiturates in the blood are in large quantities, and this can occur when taking the usual dose, but in the case of prolonged use of the drug, poisoning occurs. The person’s pressure drops sharply, his face turns blue, and his breathing becomes frequent and shallow. Death usually occurs from paralysis of the respiratory system.
Failure to use drugs
It is very difficult to get rid of barbiturate dependence.
At the same time, withdrawal symptoms are often stronger than with opium addiction. Already a couple of days after stopping taking the drugs, a person feels anxiety, nausea, he suffers from insomnia and convulsions. Epileptic seizures, bronchospasm, or coma may occur. This often leads to death. Psychological disturbances are also observed: a person cannot think clearly, suicidal tendencies arise. Therefore, such dependence is treated only in a medical institution under the supervision of a doctor.
How can barbiturates be replaced?
Recently, such drugs are being used less and less. In many countries, barbiturates are generally prohibited. In what medicines they are used, not everyone knows, so you need to carefully read the composition in the instructions. And to get rid of insomnia and stress, safer drugs are now being used, which are very rarely addictive. Most often it is "Lorazepam", "Diazepam", "Librium" and others. Even safer are Novo Passit, Glycine, Zelenin Drops and other homeopathic medicines. An alternative to chemicals can be herbal decoctions of mint or motherwort, aromatherapy, acupuncture or lifestyle changes.