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Sobredosis e intoxicación con barbitúricos - Overview

Nombres alternativos

Intoxicación con barbitúricos

Definición:

Los barbitúricos son un tipo de fármaco depresor que causa relajación y somnolencia. En dosis relativamente bajas, los barbitúricos y el alcohol tienen síndromes clínicos de intoxicación muy similares.

Sin embargo, las dosis excesivas o prolongadas de barbitúricos, como el fenobarbital, pueden producir los siguientes síntomas crónicos: pérdida de la memoria, irritabilidad, cambios en la lucidez mental y disminución en el desempeño interpersonal. Los barbitúricos también pueden causar un síndrome de sobredosis agudo que es potencialmente mortal.

Causas, incidencia y factores de riesgo:

Aunque el consumo de barbitúricos ha sido parcialmente reemplazado por la adicción a otros fármacos depresores que ahora se prescriben más comúnmente, como las benzodiazepinas, su consumo es todavía un gran problema de adicción en la población

Aunque la mayoría de las personas que toman estos fármacos para el tratamiento de trastornos convulsivos o síndromes de dolor no abusan de ellos, muchos adictos a estos fármacos empiezan consumiendo excesivamente los medicamentos que les recetan a ellos o a otros miembros de la familia.

  • Reviewed last on: 1/14/2010
  • Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

Referencias

Schears RM. Barbiturates. In: Tintinalli JE, Kelen GD, Stapczynski JS, Ma OJ, Cline DM, eds. Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 6th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2004:chap 163.

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