Which drugs are barbiturates?
Barbiturates approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical use include phenobarbital, methohexital, butalbital, pentobarbital, primidone, and amobarbital. Various barbiturates have been either discontinued or substituted with benzodiazepines. Doctors often start by prescribing an SSRI. These drugs are considered safer and generally cause fewer bothersome side effects than other types of antidepressants. SSRIs include citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva), sertraline (Zoloft) and vilazodone (Viibryd).Benzodiazepines (Ativan, Halcion, Librium, Valium, Xanax, Rohypnol) are the best known. An older class of drugs, called barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, phenobarbital) fit into this broad category.Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants prescribed to treat anxiety, insomnia, and seizures. Also known as bars, benzos, blues, chill pills, downers, nerve pills, planks, tranks, and zannies.SSRIS (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), like Zoloft (sertraline), Prozac (fluoxetine), and Lexapro (escitalopram), and SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), such as Effexor (venlafaxine) and Cymbalta (duloxetine), are widely prescribed for both anxiety and depression.
What drugs show up as barbiturates?
The most commonly detected barbiturates are butalbital and phenobarbital. Butalbital is prescribed for migraine and muscle relaxation while phenobarbital is primarily prescribed for seizure disorders. Benzodiazepines (Ativan, Halcion, Librium, Valium, Xanax, Rohypnol) are the best known. An older class of drugs, called barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, phenobarbital) fit into this broad category.Barbiturates are available under the following different brand names: amobarbital (Amytal), secobarbital (Seconal), butabarbital (Butisol), pentobarbital (Nembutal), belladonna and phenobarbital (Donnatal), butalbital/acetaminophen/caffeine (Esgic, Fioricet), and butalbital/aspirin/caffeine (Fiorinal Ascomp, Fortabs).Clonazepam (Klonopin) Effectiveness: High potency with a longer duration, making it suitable for ongoing anxiety and certain seizure disorders. Safety: It is less likely to cause memory-related side effects compared to some other benzos. However, there’s still a risk of dependency and withdrawal symptoms.For its high potency and long-lasting effects, the most potent benzodiazepine is Clonazepam, also known as Klonopin. Other high-potency but short-acting benzos are alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), and triazolam (Halcion).People who use substances tend to prefer short-acting and intermediate-acting barbiturates. The most commonly used are amobarbital (Amytal), pentobarbital (Nembutal), and secobarbital (Seconal).
What is one major danger of barbiturates?
Taking too much of a barbiturate could cause you to stop breathing, which is a life-threatening medical emergency. That means misusing these medications can be very dangerous. They interact with many other medications. What is their effect on the body? Barbiturates slow down the central nervous system and cause sleepiness. Mild euphoria, lack of restraint, relief of anxiety. Impairment of memory, judgment, and coordination.
Is Xanax a barbiturate?
Xanax is not a barbiturates drug, but a potent benzodiazepine that is prescribed to treat the symptoms of GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), panic disorders, and insomnia. Benzodiazepines most commonly used to treat anxiety disorders are clonazepam (Rivotril)*, alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan). Also used are bromazepam (Lectopam), oxazepam (Serax), chlordiazepoxide (once marketed as Librium), clorazepate (Tranxene) and diazepam (Valium).If you’re looking for medication alternatives that calm you down like Xanax, options like Ativan (lorazepam), Klonopin (clonazepam), or Valium (diazepam) may be prescribed by a doctor. These are benzodiazepines, similar to Xanax, and work in a similar way to help reduce anxiety.Commonly used as antidepressants, SSRIs can also be effective in managing anxiety disorders. Medications like sertraline (Zoloft) and escitalopram (Lexapro) increase serotonin levels in the brain, offering a non-addictive alternative to Xanax.
Are sleeping pills barbiturates?
Barbiturates, another group of drugs in this sedative-hypnotic class, depress your central nervous system, which sedates you. Short- or long-acting barbiturates are prescribed as sedatives or sleeping pills. But more often, these drugs are only used as anesthesia during surgery or other medical procedures. Other depressants, such as Amytal, Numbutal and Seconal, are classed as barbiturates—drugs that are used as sedatives and sleeping pills. Examples of downers include; opioids/opiates (heroin, codeine, and Oxycontin/Vicodin), sedative-hypnotics (Valium, Xanax, and Halcion), and alcohol.DREs classify drugs in one of seven categories: central nervous system (CNS) depressants, CNS stimulants, hallucinogens, dissociative anesthetics, narcotic analgesics, inhalants, and cannabis.