Sleeping Pills (Barbiturates)

All derivatives of barbituric acid (phenobarbital, barbital, medinal, etaminal-patri, mixture of Sereisky, tardil, bellaspop, bromitale, etc.) are absorbed fairly quickly and almost completely in the gastrointestinal tract. A lethal dose: about 10 medical doses with large individual differences. Acute poisoning with sleeping pills is primarily accompanied by depression of the central nervous system. The leading symptom is a violation of breathing and the progressive development of oxygen starvation. Breathing becomes rare, intermittent. All kinds of reflex activity are suppressed. Pupils first narrow and react to light, and then (due to oxygen starvation) expand and do not react to light. The kidney function sharply suffers: a decrease in diuresis promotes the slow release of barbiturates from the body. Death occurs as a result of paralysis of the respiratory center and acute circulatory disturbance.