Drug misuse barbiturates

Although barbiturates are not currently used for the treatment of anxiety because of the abuse and misuse potential, they are prescribed for epilepsy and other convulsive conditions as well as for the treatment of colitis and tension headache. Some combination drugs for congestion also contain barbiturates. 

Drug abuse This term usually applies to the misuse of addictive drugs, which include barbiturates and amphetamines, as well as the opiates, cocaine and heroin. These drugs create severe psychological and physiological problems. This leads to a variety of personal problems for the user. 

There are a number of legal, safe uses for barbiturates, but they become a problem when a person misuses or abuses them habitually. First-time users can have severe, negative reactions, or even die, from barbiturates taken without a doctor s supervision. Regular abusers suffer from the long-term physical and psychological problems that make them unable to fully participate in society. Drug abuse affects not only users but also their families, friends, and everyone around them. 

Chloral hydrate, clomethiazole and barbiturates also enhance GABA function but at high doses have the additional capacity directly to open the membrane chloride channel (see Figure 19.4) this may lead to potentially lethal respiratory depression and explains their low therapeutic ratio. These drugs also have a propensity for abuse/misuse and are very much second-line treatments. 

Special arrangements apply to the prescribing of drugs of dependence in the UK under the provisions of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Drugs controlled include cocaine, dipipanone, diamorphine (heroin), methadone, morphine, opium, pethidine, phencyclidine, lysergjde (LSD), amphetamines, barbiturates, cannabis, codeine, pholcodine, and certain drugs related to the amphetamines, such as chlorphentermine and diethylpropion. 

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