Barbiturate overdose

Barbiturate overdose is a form of poisoning caused by someone taking too many barbiturates within a short time.

Symptoms

Those who have overdosed on barbiturates can show some of the following symptoms:

 Difficulty thinking
 Poor coordination
 Lowered effort to breathe
 Lowered level of consciousness

Complications

In serious cases, noncardiogenic pulmonary edema can occur. The patient can die from a lack of breathing. The amount of barbiturates that can cause death depends on how much someone's body can break down the drug.

The larger the dose of barbiturates someone has taken for a long period, the higher the amount of barbiturates is needed to cause death. This phenomenon is called drug tolerance.

Mechanism

Barbiturates increase the time that the chloride pore of the GABAA receptor is opened, thereby increasing GABA's efficacy. In contrast, benzodiazepines increase the frequency with which the chloride pore is opened, thereby increasing GABA's potency.

Treatment


Barbiturate overdose can be treated by activated charcoal. Hemodialysis is also sometimes performed. In cases where the poisoned person is not breathing, mechanical ventilation is required while detoxication is performed. 

Related pages

 Toxicology
 Paracetamol poisoning
 Benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome

References

Category:Disorders
Category:Medical emergencies