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Related Concept Videos

CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines01:14

CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines

257
CNS depressants include drugs from the category of barbiturates and benzodiazepines. They are valuable medications for managing anxiety disorders and insomnia. Barbiturates, once used to induce and maintain sleep, have been replaced mainly by benzodiazepines due to barbiturate's toxicity, tolerance, and overdose risks. They interact with GABAA receptors, leading to sedation at low doses and potentially coma and death at higher doses. Phenobarbital, a long-acting barbiturate, possesses...
257
Depressants01:28

Depressants

114
Depressant drugs, including alcohol and sedative-hypnotics, diminish central nervous system activity by enhancing the action of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that reduces brain activity and promotes relaxation. These substances can have various therapeutic uses but also pose significant risks, especially when misused or combined.
Alcohol is a common depressant that can induce a sense of relaxation and reduced inhibition at low doses. Contrary to its occasional...
114
Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview01:23

Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview

351
Sedatives are drugs that alleviate anxiety, while hypnotics induce sleep. Both classes of medication suppress neuronal activity, leading to a calming effect for sedatives and facilitating sleep for hypnotics.
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...
351
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Barbiturates01:20

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Barbiturates

257
Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a drug class that acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to alleviate anxiety, promote relaxation and induce sleep.These drugs function by amplifying the actions of the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), resulting in reduced neuronal activity. Barbiturates, a subset of sedatives and hypnotics first synthesized in the late 1800s, are categorized into ultra-short, short, intermediate, and long-acting groups based on their duration of effect. A...
257
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines01:19

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines

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Benzodiazepines have both sedative and hypnotic properties. They include compounds such as diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax). Structurally, their cores are similar, consisting of the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring, but they share a common mechanism of action in the central nervous system (CNS).
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. They bind to the GABAA receptor, increasing its affinity for GABA, which opens chloride...
240
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents01:17

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

171
Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a wide range of substances, each with its unique mechanism of action, uses, and potential adverse effects.
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
171

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Related Experiment Video

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SECONDs Administration Guidelines: A Fast Tool to Assess Consciousness in Brain-injured Patients
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Cognitive impairment following sedative overdose.

Patrick T Stewart1,2, Md Bayzidur Rahman3,4, Angela L Chiew1,5

  • 1Prince of Wales Hospital Clinical Toxicology Unit, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Clinical Toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.)
|April 29, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Patients with sedative overdose show cognitive impairment after medical clearance, impacting high-risk activities. The Trail Making Test revealed deficits, suggesting caution before discharge.

Keywords:
Sedativecentral nervous system depressantscognitive impairmentdrug overdosepoisoningtrail-making test

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Toxicology
  • Emergency Medicine

Background:

  • Sedative overdose can lead to residual cognitive impairment, potentially affecting patient safety upon discharge.
  • High-risk activities like driving may be compromised by undetected cognitive deficits.
  • The Trail Making Test (TMT) is a bedside tool for assessing cognitive function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate cognitive function differences in patients medically cleared after sedative versus non-sedative drug overdoses.
  • To assess the utility of the Trail Making Test in identifying post-overdose cognitive impairment.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective, observational study conducted between 2018 and 2021.
  • 171 patients (≥16 years) with drug overdose completed the Trail Making Test upon medical clearance.
  • Statistical analyses included t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and logistic regression.

Main Results:

  • Patients with sedative overdose (n=111) performed significantly worse on TMT Part A and Part B compared to non-sedative overdose patients.
  • Older age and lower perceived recovery were associated with slower TMT Part B performance.
  • Sedative overdose patients had higher odds of intensive care unit admission.

Conclusions:

  • Sedative drug overdoses are associated with significant cognitive deficits, even after medical clearance.
  • Impairment in higher-order thinking may be more pronounced than in basic cognitive functions.
  • Advising patients to avoid high-risk activities post-discharge is crucial to minimize harm.