When are barbiturates or benzodiazepines used to treat seizures?
Barbiturates and benzodiazepines may be very effective in controlling seizures, especially status epilepticus. However, their chronic use may be associated with serious sedative-hypnotic effects that interfere with cognitive function and behavior.
How do benzodiazepines and barbiturates work to suppress seizures?
Benzodiazepines may work by enhancing the effects of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. Seizures, anxiety, and other conditions may be caused by excessive activity of nerves in the brain. GABA reduces the activity of nerves in the brain. Barbiturates are central nervous depressants.
How do barbiturates prevent seizures?
GABA, a major inhibitory neurotransmitter, inhibits the activity of nerves that would initiate the seizure. Specifically, barbiturate anticonvulsants enhance the activity of GABA by binding to it and opening the chloride channel in the GABA neurotransmitter.
Why are barbiturates used for seizures?
Barbiturate anticonvulsants enhance the action of GABA, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and inhibits initiation of discharge that would start the seizure. Barbiturates facilitate GABA-mediated opening of chloride channels and increases effectiveness of GABA.
How do benzodiazepines and barbiturates work?
How Do They Work? Similar to barbiturates, benzodiazepines primarily affect the body via the GABA neurotransmitter which is responsible for sending calming messages to the body. Benzos change the voltage in the brain from positive to negative and causes brain cells to be less sensitive.
What are barbiturates used for?
Barbiturates were first used in medicine in the early 1900s and became popular in the 1960s and 1970s as treatment for anxiety, insomnia, or seizure disorders. They evolved into recreational drugs that some people used to reduce inhibitions, decrease anxiety, and to treat unwanted side effects of illicit drugs.
How do benzodiazepines prevent seizures?
Benzodiazepine anticonvulsants are a class of drugs that are used to treat seizures (convulsions). They mainly work by affecting the gamma amino-butyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that nerves release to communicate with other nearby nerves.
What do barbiturates do?
Barbiturates are depressant drugs that slow down the central nervous system (CNS), and they are commonly used to treat issues like anxiety, headaches, insomnia, and seizures. Some can also be used as an effective anesthesia.
What is the difference between benzodiazepine and barbiturates?
The primary difference between the two is that benzodiazepines do not stimulate the GABA receptor directly, they simply make GABA receptors more efficient. Benzodiazepines still produce a calming effect but don’t have as depressive an effect on the central nervous system as barbiturates do.
What are barbiturates prescribed for?
Barbiturates are sedative-hypnotics, a type of central nervous system (CNS) depressant used to treat insomnia, seizures, and headaches.
What were barbiturates used for?
How are barbiturates used in the treatment of epilepsy?
The barbiturate phenobarbital has been in use in the treatment of epilepsy for 100 years. It has long been recognized that barbiturates act by prolonging and potentiating the action of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on GABA A receptors and at higher concentrations directly activating the receptors.
Which is more dangerous benzodiazepine or barbiturate?
Apart from a few specific indications, they are not commonly prescribed these days, having been largely superseded by benzodiazepines, which are much safer, although still potentially addictive. Barbiturates are known as central nervous system depressants.
Are there any off label uses for barbiturates?
Barbiturates can also be used as a form of anesthetic. Off-label uses include treatment for: However, they are not a popular drug because of the risk of poor outcomes and adverse effects. Today, it is rare to use them for sleep disorders. Phenobarbital is most likely to be used for treating seizures.
What kind of drugs can you take instead of barbiturates?
A class of drugs known as benzodiazepines has largely replaced barbiturates for both medical and recreational use, although benzodiazepines also carry a high risk of physical dependence and other adverse effects. Examples include Valium and Ativan. What are barbiturates?