A sedative is a drug that depresses the central nervous system (CNS), which causes calmness, relaxation, reduction of anxiety, sleepiness, slowed breathing, slurred speech, staggering gait, poor judgment, and slow, uncertain reflexes. Sedatives may be referred to as tranquilizers, depressants, anxiolytics, soporifics, sleeping pills, downers, or sedative-hypnotics. At high doses or when they are abused, many of these drugs can cause unconsciousness and death. Many drugs are provided in tablet form. ... The human central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord. ... Anxiety is a complex combination of the feeling of fear, apprehension and worry often accompanied by physical sensations such as palpitations, chest pain and/or shortness of breath. ... Sleeping girl Sleep is the fundamental anabolic process common to all life forms, plant and animal. ... A gait can refer to: a particular way or manner of moving on foot: walking and running are the two basic human gaits; see also gait analysis and Gait (human). ... A reflex action or reflex is a biological control system linking stimulus to response and mediated by a reflex arc. ... See also sedative. ... Unconsciousness is the absence of consciousness. ... Death is either the cessation of life in a living organism or the state of the organism after that event. ...

A photo of 'downers': nine assorted tablets and one capsule.

File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For other meanings please see Tablet (disambiguation) Common disk-shaped pills A pharmacological tablet is a medicinal or other active substance mixed with binder powders and pressed into a tablet form. ...

Types of sedative

• Barbiturates
  • secobarbital (Seconal)
  • pentobarbital (Nembutal)
  • amobarbital (Amytal)
• Benzodiazepines
  • diazepam (Valium)
  • chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
  • lorazepam (Ativan)
  • chlorazepate (Tranxene)
• Imidazopyridines
  • zolpidem (Ambien)
  • alpidem
• Antihistamines
  • diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
  • dimenhydrinate (Dramamine)
• Herbal sedatives
  • valerian plant
  • Mandrake
  • kava
• Uncategorized sedatives
  • methaqualone (Sopor, Quaalude)
  • ethchlorvynol (Placidyl)
  • chloral hydrate (Noctec)
  • meprobamate (Miltown)
  • glutethimide (Doriden)
  • methyprylon (Noludar)
  • gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB)
  • gamma-butyrolactone (GBL)

Barbiturates are drugs that acts as central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and by virtue of this they produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to anesthesia. ... Seconal is a trademark name for the barbiturate sodium quinalbarbitone. ... Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and by virtue of this they produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to anesthesia. ... Benzodiazepine tablets The benzodiazepines are a class of drugs with hypnotic, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, amnestic and muscle relaxant properties. ... Click here to enter Top20 Valium sites Diazepam, brand names: Valium, Seduxen, in Europe Apozepam, is a 1,4_benzodiazepine derivative, which possesses anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, sedative and skeletal muscle relaxant properties. ... Diazepam, brand names: Valium, Seduxen, in Europe Apozepam, is a 1,4-benzodiazepine derivative, which possesses anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, sedative and skeletal muscle relaxant properties. ... Chlordiazepoxide (Trade name: Librium) was the first benzodiazepine to be made commercially available. ... Chlordiazepoxide (Trade name: Librium) was the first benzodiazepine to be made commercially available. ... Lorazepam is classified as a sedative-hypnotic and a member of the group of drugs known as benzodiazepines. ... Lorazepam is classified as a sedative-hypnotic and a member of the group of drugs known as benzodiazepines. ... The imidazopyridines are a class of drugs related to benzodiazepines. ... Zolpidem is a prescription drug used for the short-term treatment of insomnia (sleeping pill). ... Zolpidem is a prescription drug used for the short-term treatment of insomnia (sleeping pill). ... Diphenhydramine hydrochloride (trade name Benadryl®, or Dimedrol outside the US) is an over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamine and sedative. ... Diphenhydramine hydrochloride (trade name Benadryl®, or Dimedrol outside the US) is an over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamine and sedative. ... Dimenhydrinate, also known by the trade names Dramamine and Gravol, is a close chemical cousin to diphenhydramine HCl. ... Dramamine is a medication used for motion sickness manufactured by Pfizer. ... Binomial name Valeriana officinalis L. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis, Valerianaceae) is a hardy perennial flowering plant, with heads of sweetly scented pink or white flowers. ... Species Mandragora autumnalis Mandragora officinarum Mandragora turcomanica Mandragora caulescens Mandrake is the common name for members of the plant genus Mandragora belonging to the nightshades family (Solanaceae). ... Kava is an ancient crop of the western Pacific. ... Methaqualone1 is an addictive, sedative drug. ... Methaqualone1 is an addictive, sedative drug. ... Methaqualone1 is an addictive, sedative drug. ... Ethchlorvynol is a sedative and hypnotic drug. ... Ethchlorvynol is a sedative and hypnotic drug. ... Chloral hydrate is a sedative and hypnotic drug, also known as trichloroacetaldehyde monohydrate, 2,2,2-trichloro-1,1-ethanediol, and the tradenames Aquachloral, Novo-Chlorhydrate, Somnos, and Noctec. ... Chloral hydrate is a sedative and hypnotic drug, also known as trichloroacetaldehyde monohydrate, 2,2,2-trichloro-1,1-ethanediol, and the tradenames Aquachloral, Novo-Chlorhydrate, Somnos, and Noctec. ... Meprobamate is a tranquilizing drug that acts as a depressant of the central nervous system and is commonly used in the treatment of anxiety and sometimes schizophrenia. ... Glutethimide is a hypnotic sedative that was introduced in 1954 as a safe alternative to barbiturates to treat insomnia. ... Glutethimide is a hypnotic sedative that was introduced in 1954 as a safe alternative to barbiturates to treat insomnia. ... Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (4-hydroxybutanoic acid, C4H8O3) is both a drug and a naturally occurring compound found in the mammalian brain, where it could well function as a neurotransmitter. ... Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (4-hydroxybutanoic acid, C4H8O3) is both a drug and a naturally occurring compound found in the mammalian brain, where it could well function as a neurotransmitter. ... gamma-Butyrolactone, also known as GBL, butyrolactone, 1,4-lactone, 4-butyrolactone, 4-hydroxybutyric acid lactone, and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid lactone, is a hygroscopic colorless oily liquid with a weak characteristic odor of medium solubility in water (≥ 10 g / 100 ml). ... The original Game Boys design set the standard for handheld gaming consoles. ...

Therapeutic use

Sedation is widely used by doctors and nurses to dull the anxiety related to painful or anxiety-provoking procedures. Athough sedatives do not relieve pain in themselves, they can be a useful adjunct to analgesics in preparing patients for surgery, and are commonly given to patients before they are anaesthetized, or before other highly uncomfortable and invasive procedures like cardiac catheterization or MRI. They increase tractability and compliance of children or troublesome or demanding patients. Sedation is a medical procedure involving administration of sedative drugs, generally to facilitate a medical procedure, such as endoscopy, or minor surgery with local anaesthesia. ... Doctor means teacher in Latin. ... A nurse is a health care professional, who is engaged in the practice of nursing. ... For other uses of painkiller, see painkiller (disambiguation) An analgesic (colloquially known as painkiller) is any member of the diverse group of drugs used to relieve pain. ... Surgery Surgery (from the Greek cheirourgia - lit. ... Anesthesia (AE), also anaesthesia (BE), is the process of blocking the perception of pain and other sensations. ... Catheter disassembled In medicine, a catheter is a tube that a health professional may insert into part of the body. ... For other meanings see Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). ...

Patients in intensive care units are almost always sedated (unless they are unconscious from their condition anyway). Intensive care medicine or critical care medicine is concerned with providing greater than ordinary medical care and observation to people in a critical or unstable condition. ...

Sedative dependence

All sedatives can cause physical and psychological dependence when taken regularly over a period of time, even at therapeutic doses. When dependent users decrease or end use suddenly, they will exhibit withdrawal symptoms ranging from restlessness, insomnia and anxiety to convulsions and death. When users become psychologically dependent, they feel as if they need the drug to function although there is no biological dependence. In both types of dependence, finding and using the drug becomes the focus in life. Both physical and psychological dependence can be treated (see Sedative Dependence (http://www.mentalhealth.com/rx/p23-sb10.html)). When an addictive behavior is stopped or an addictive substance is withdrawn from use, withdrawal symptoms almost always follow. ... Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterised by an inability to sleep and/or to remain asleep for a reasonable period during the night. ... Anxiety is a complex combination of the feeling of fear, apprehension and worry often accompanied by physical sensations such as palpitations, chest pain and/or shortness of breath. ...

Abuse and overdoses

All sedatives can be abused, but barbiturates are responsible for most of the problems with sedative abuse due to their widespread "recreational" or non-medical use, as well as over-prescribing by medical doctors. People who have difficulty dealing with stress, anxiety or sleeplessness may overuse or become dependent on sedatives. Heroin users take them either to supplement their drug or to substitute for it. Stimulant users frequently take sedatives to calm excessive jitteriness. Others take sedatives recreationally to relax and forget their worries. Barbiturate overdose is a factor in nearly one-third of all reported drug-related deaths. These include suicides and accidental drug poisonings. Accidental deaths sometimes occur when a drowsy, confused user repeats doses. In the US, in 1998, a total of 70,982 sedative exposures were reported to US poison control centers, of which 2310 (3.2%) resulted in major toxicity and 89 (0.1%) resulted in death. About half of all the people admitted to emergency rooms in the US as a result of nonmedical use of sedatives have a legitimate prescription for the drug, but have taken an excessive dose or combined it with alcohol or other drugs. Others get sedatives from friends who have bona fide prescriptions or by using faked prescriptions. Asian heroin Black tar heroin Bayer Heroin (TM) Primary worldwide producers of heroin. ... A stimulant is a drug which increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and produces a sense of euphoria or awakeness. ... Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of intentionally ending ones own life. ... The skull and crossbones symbol traditionally used to label a poisonous substance. ... Toxicity is a measure to the degree to which something is toxic or poisonous. ...

See also Barbiturate#Other_non-therapeutical_use. Barbiturates are drugs that acts as central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and by virtue of this they produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to anesthesia. ...

Sedatives and alcohol

Sedatives and alcohol are sometimes combined recreationally or carelessly. Since alcohol also is a strong CNS depressant that slows brain function and depresses respiration, the two substances reinforce each other and this combination can prove fatal. Karen Anne Quinlan collapsed into a coma after swallowing alcohol and tranquilizers at a party in 1975. Her case spurred worldwide discussion of the ethics surrounding termination of life-sustaining treatment. In general usage, alcohol (from Arabic al-khwl الكحول, or al-ghawl الغول) refers almost always to ethanol, also known as grain alcohol, and often to any beverage that contains ethanol (see alcoholic beverage). ... In the anatomy of animals, the brain, or encephalon, is the supervisory center of the nervous system. ... For other meanings of the word coma, especially in astronomy, see coma (disambiguation) In medicine, a coma is a profound state of unconsciousness, which may result from a variety of conditions including intoxication (drug, alcohol or toxins), metabolic abnormalities (hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, ketoacidosis, etc. ...

Lookalikes

Lookalikes, or pills made to mimic the appearance and the effects of authentic sedatives, are sold on the street. Lookalikes may contain over-the-counter drugs, such as antihistamines, that cause drowsiness. Like any other drug that is illicitly manufactured and sold, their composition and effects cannot be predicted.

Sedative drugs and crime

Some rapists administer sedative drugs, particularly GHB or GBL, to unsuspecting patrons in bars or guests at parties to reduce the intended victims' defenses. To protect yourself against being sedated against your will, see Sedative Drugs and Violence (http://www.couns.msu.edu/sap/rapedrugs.htm) Rape is a crime wherein the victim is forced into sexual activity against his or her will, in particular sexual penetration. ...