| Download the amazing global Makindo app: Android | Apple | |
|---|---|
| MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: Educational use only. Not for diagnosis or management. See below for full disclaimer. |
Sodium Thiopental - Sodium Thiopentone
Related Subjects: |Respiratory Failure |Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) |Intubation and Mechanical Ventilation |Critical illness neuromuscular weakness |Haemodialysis |Dobutamine
💉 Thiopental sodium is a short-acting barbiturate used as an IV induction agent. It is especially useful in patients with head injury, raised ICP, or seizures, as it reduces cerebral metabolism and ICP while preserving cerebral perfusion pressure. ⚠️ Care is needed due to venodilation and cardiovascular depression.
📖 About
- Cardiovascularly stable → useful in head injury and seizure patients.
- Always check the BNF here or equivalent for up-to-date prescribing advice.
⚙️ Mode of Action
- IV induction agent, short-acting barbiturate.
- Acts on the GABA-A receptor complex, enhancing inhibitory neurotransmission.
- Produces hypnosis, anticonvulsant effect, and cerebral protection.
💊 Indications/Dose
- Dose: 2–7 mg/kg IV (reduce to 1.5–2 mg/kg in cardiovascularly unstable patients).
- Onset: 5–15 seconds.
- Duration: 5–15 minutes (redistribution terminates effect).
🔗 Interactions
- See BNF for full list (potentiates other CNS depressants, interacts with alcohol and sedatives).
⚠️ Cautions
- Causes venodilation and cardiovascular depression → risk of hypotension.
- Accidental intra-arterial injection can cause severe tissue injury.
⛔ Contraindications
- See BNF (includes severe cardiovascular instability, porphyria).
💥 Side Effects
- ↓ Cerebral oxygen consumption.
- ↓ Cerebral blood flow.
- ↓ Intracranial pressure (ICP) while maintaining cerebral perfusion pressure.
- Anticonvulsant properties.
- Venodilation and cardiovascular depression → hypotension.
- May cause prolonged sedation in obese or elderly patients (redistribution slower).
📚 References
| The content on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only to support exam preparation (e.g., MLA, MRCP, USMLE) and learning. This is NOT medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional guidance. It does not replace consultation with a qualified healthcare professional, official guidelines (e.g., NICE, GMC, BNF), or supervised clinical practice. Always verify information with current, authoritative sources. Makindo and its contributors accept no liability for any reliance on this content, including errors, omissions, or any resulting harm, loss, or consequences. By using this site, you agree to these terms. |
|
|
Categories
- A Level
- About
- Acute Medicine
- Anaesthetics and Critical Care
- Anatomy
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Biochemistry
- Book
- Cardiology
- Collections
- CompSci
- Crib Sheets
- Dental
- Dermatology
- Differentials
- Drugs
- ENT
- Education
- Electrocardiogram
- Embryology
- Emergency Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Ethics
- Foundation Doctors
- GCSE
- Gastroenterology
- General Practice
- Genetics
- Geriatric Medicine
- Guidelines
- Gynaecology
- Haematology
- Hepatology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Infographic
- Investigations
- Lists
- Mandatory Training
- Medical Students
- Microbiology
- Nephrology
- Neu
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Nutrition
- OSCE
- OSCEs
- Obstetrics
- Obstetrics Gynaecology
- Oncology
- Ophthalmology
- Oral Medicine and Dentistry
- Orthopaedics
- Paediatrics
- Palliative
- Pathology
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Procedures
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
- Radiology
- Renal
- Respiratory
- Resuscitation
- Revision
- Rheumatology
- Statistics and Research
- Stroke
- Surgery
- Toxicology
- Trauma and Orthopaedics
- USMLE
- Urology
- Vascular Surgery