Pentobarbital Sodium (pentobarbital sodium)

Hypnotics Injection Vial (Ml)

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Last reviewed · Source: First Databank (FDB) drug data

Overview

Pentobarbital sodium is a short-acting barbiturate that has sedative-hypnotic properties and anticonvulsant activities at anesthetic doses.

Pentobarbital, a barbiturate, is a nonselective CNS depressant that is primarily used as a sedative hypnotic, and at subhypnotic doses, as an anticonvulsant. At high enough therapeutic dosages, barbiturates induce anesthesia and exhibit anticonvulsant activity. At lower dosages not sufficient to induce anesthesia, barbiturates have little analgesic activity, and instead may increase reactions to painful stimuli.

The CNS effects of pentobarbital are related to the blockage of N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors and/or potentiation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) activity. Barbiturates can produce varying levels of CNS mood alteration, including excitation to mild sedation, hypnosis, and deep coma. Barbiturate activity includes depression of the sensory cortex, decreased motor activity, and altered cerebellar function, which produce drowsiness, sedation, and hypnosis.

Barbiturates also cause respiratory depression, which is dose dependent. At large hypnotic dosages, the respiratory depression produced by barbiturates is similar to the slight decrease in blood pressure and heart rate experienced during physiologic sleep.

Although pentobarbital has been used for the short term treatment of insomnia, barbiturate-induced sleep differs from physiological sleep. Barbiturates such as pentobarbital reduce the amount of time spent in the rapid eye movement (REM) phase of sleep or dreaming, and the amount of time spent in stages III and IV sleep.

The onset of action of pentobarbital occurs within 1 minute following IV administration. The duration of action of barbiturates, related to rate of redistribution throughout the body, is highly variable and can vary in the same patient. Maximal CNS depression may not occur until 15 minutes or more after IV administration.

Plasma pentobarbital concentrations in the therapeutic range of 0.5-3 mcg/mL generally produce sedation and calm, and plasma concentrations of 10-15 mcg/mL produce significant respiratory depression and coma; plasma concentrations of >15 mcg/mL are potentially lethal.

Pentobarbital is rapidly distributed into all tissues and fluids with high concentrations in the brain, liver, and kidneys. The drug crosses the placenta and distributes into milk. Pentobarbital is metabolized primarily by hepatic microsomal enzymes.

Metabolites of pentobarbital are primarily excreted into the urine, and less commonly into the feces. The amount of unchanged pentobarbital that is excreted into the urine is considered negligible. Inactive metabolites undergo excretion as conjugates of glucuronic acid.

The elimination half-life of pentobarbital ranges from 15-50 hours and is dose dependent.

Generic name: pentobarbital sodium
Drug class: Hypnotics
Therapeutic class: Central Nervous System Agents

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Indications

The following indications are listed for Pentobarbital Sodium:

  • General Anesthesia Adjunct
  • Sedation As Adjunct To Anesthesia
  • Status Epilepticus

Also known as: Adjunct General Anesthesia, Adjunct Sedation.

Dosing

Dosage of pentobarbital sodium must be individualized for each patient, taking into consideration the patient's age, weight, and condition. Dosage of pentobarbital sodium is expressed in terms of the sodium salt.

Drug interactions

Pentobarbital is metabolized by, and induces hepatic microsomal enzymes. Although most reported drug interaction experience has involved the use of phenobarbital, these interactions are applicable to other barbiturates such as pentobarbital.

Contraindications

*Known hypersensitivity to barbiturates.

*History of manifest or latent porphyria.

Adverse reactions

The most common adverse effect reported in up to 3% of patients receiving pentobarbital is somnolence. Other less common adverse effects reported in <1% of patients receiving pentobarbital include agitation, confusion, hyperkinesia, ataxia, CNS depression, nightmares, nervousness, psychiatric disturbance, hallucinations, insomnia, anxiety, dizziness, thinking abnormalities, hypoventilation, apnea, bradycardia, hypotension, syncope, nausea and vomiting, constipation, headache, injection site reactions, hypersensitivity reactions (angioedema, skin rash, exfoliative dermatitis), fever, liver damage, and megaloblastic anemia (following chronic use).

Precautions

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ICD codes

CodeTypeDescription
General anesthesia adjunct
3E030FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into peripheral vein, open approach
3E033FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into peripheral vein, percutaneous approach
3E040FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into central vein, open approach
3E043FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into central vein, percutaneous approach
3E050FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into peripheral artery, open approach
3E053FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into peripheral artery, percutaneous approach
3E060FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into central artery, open approach
3E063FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into central artery, percutaneous approach
Sedation as adjunct to anesthesia
3E030FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into peripheral vein, open approach
3E030NZICD10PCSIntroduction of analgesics, hypnotics, sedatives into peripheral vein, open approach
3E033FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into peripheral vein, percutaneous approach
3E033NZICD10PCSIntroduction of analgesics, hypnotics, sedatives into peripheral vein, percutaneous approach
3E040FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into central vein, open approach
3E040NZICD10PCSIntroduction of analgesics, hypnotics, sedatives into central vein, open approach
3E043FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into central vein, percutaneous approach
3E043NZICD10PCSIntroduction of analgesics, hypnotics, sedatives into central vein, percutaneous approach
3E050FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into peripheral artery, open approach
3E050NZICD10PCSIntroduction of analgesics, hypnotics, sedatives into peripheral artery, open approach
3E053FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into peripheral artery, percutaneous approach
3E053NZICD10PCSIntroduction of analgesics, hypnotics, sedatives into peripheral artery, percutaneous approach
3E060FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into central artery, open approach
3E060NZICD10PCSIntroduction of analgesics, hypnotics, sedatives into central artery, open approach
3E063FZICD10PCSIntroduction of intracirculatory anesthetic into central artery, percutaneous approach
3E063NZICD10PCSIntroduction of analgesics, hypnotics, sedatives into central artery, percutaneous approach
Status epilepticus
G40.001ICD10CMLocalization-related (focal) (partial) idiopathic epilepsy and epileptic syndromes with seizures of localized onset, not intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.011ICD10CMLocalization-related (focal) (partial) idiopathic epilepsy and epileptic syndromes with seizures of localized onset, intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.101ICD10CMLocalization-related (focal) (partial) symptomatic epilepsy and epileptic syndromes with simple partial seizures, not intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.111ICD10CMLocalization-related (focal) (partial) symptomatic epilepsy and epileptic syndromes with simple partial seizures, intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.201ICD10CMLocalization-related (focal) (partial) symptomatic epilepsy and epileptic syndromes with complex partial seizures, not intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.211ICD10CMLocalization-related (focal) (partial) symptomatic epilepsy and epileptic syndromes with complex partial seizures, intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.301ICD10CMGeneralized idiopathic epilepsy and epileptic syndromes, not intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.311ICD10CMGeneralized idiopathic epilepsy and epileptic syndromes, intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.401ICD10CMOther generalized epilepsy and epileptic syndromes, not intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.411ICD10CMOther generalized epilepsy and epileptic syndromes, intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.501ICD10CMEpileptic seizures related to external causes, not intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.801ICD10CMOther epilepsy, not intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.803ICD10CMOther epilepsy, intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.811ICD10CMLennox-gastaut syndrome, not intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.813ICD10CMLennox-gastaut syndrome, intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.821ICD10CMEpileptic spasms, not intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.823ICD10CMEpileptic spasms, intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.833ICD10CMDravet syndrome, intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.901ICD10CMEpilepsy, unspecified, not intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.911ICD10CMEpilepsy, unspecified, intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.A01ICD10CMAbsence epileptic syndrome, not intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.A11ICD10CMAbsence epileptic syndrome, intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.B01ICD10CMJuvenile myoclonic epilepsy, not intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.B11ICD10CMJuvenile myoclonic epilepsy, intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.C01ICD10CMLafora progressive myoclonus epilepsy, not intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.C11ICD10CMLafora progressive myoclonus epilepsy, intractable, with status epilepticus

ICD code information from First Databank (FDB).

Formulary status

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Last reviewed · Source: First Databank (FDB) drug data